LIBRARY 


OF  THE 


MASSACHUSETTS 

AGRICULTURAL 

COLLEGE 

no..  34058  date.s.tA-.U 

487  


so 


lis    uuur*.    may     uc    rvcjj 


l    uui 


TWO   WEEKS 

ly,  and  is  subject  to  a  fine  of  TWO 
£NTS  a  day  thereafter.  It  will  be  due  on 
e  day  indicated  below. 


awry  Bureau    13-723 


CARD 


STANDARD     Price,  25c. 

American 
oultry  Book. 


aining  descriptions  of  all  the  Different  Varieties  of  Fowls, 
vith  complete  instructions  for  raising  all  kinds  of  Poultry, 
Curing  Diseases,  Artificial  Incubation,  etc.,  etc. 


W.   L.  ALLISON,  Publisher 

216-218  William  St. — 18-20  Rosk  St., 
NEW  York. 


I 


No.  3. 
APRIL, 
1899. 


The  Chiswick  Library 

of 

Popular  Books. 


Subscription  $3.00 

per  year- 
Issued  Monthly 


THE   STANDARD 

American  Poultry  Book, 

CONTAINING  ALL  THE   DIFFERENT 

Varieties  of    Fowls, 

Their  Points  of  Beauty,  their  Merits  as  Layers  or  Sitters; 
WITH  COMPLETE  INSTEUOTIONS 

ON  RAISING  ALL  KINDS  OF  POULTRY— THE  BEST  SOILS  ON  WHICH  TO  KEEP  THEM 

— HOW  TO   FEED— MANAGEMENT   OF   LAYERS  AND   SITTERS— DICTIONARY 

OF  POULTRY  TERMS— INCUBATION — MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  MOTHER— 

HOW      TO      REAR      THE     CHICKS    —    IMPROVED      MANNER     OF 

CURING    ALL   DISEASES. 

Together  with  minute  Instructions  on 

ARTIFICIAL    INCUBATION, 

The  Be3t  Incubators— How  to  work  them,  etc., 

Copyrighted  1899  by  The  Chiswick  Publishing  Co. 

NEW  YORK : 

W.  L.  ALLISON,  Publisher. 


Entered  at  the  Post  Office,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  as  second-class  matter, 
January,  1899. 


636,  S" 
StJL 


,iul 


DOMESTIC  POULTRY. 


VARIETIES;   THEIR   CHOICE   AND 
MANAGEMENT. 

In  the  choice  of  fowls,  no  inconsiderable  amount  of  know- 
ledge of  the  characters  of  the  different  varieties  is  necessary  to 
insure  success  to  the  breeder.  From  my  own  experience,  and 
that  of  the  most  eminent  poultry-keepers,  I  have  attempted  to 
jot  down  such  information  as  may  be  found  useful  in  the  selec- 
tion and  management  of  these  really  useful  and  elegant  birds. 
I  shall  first  introduce  to  the  reader's  notice  the  largest  and  one 
of  the  most  important  breeds  in  our  country. 

THE  RRAHMA  FOWLS 

Are  divided  into  two  classes,  the  light  and  dark;  as  a  rule  the 
dark  are  preferable,  although  either  are  good  enough  for  any 
farm  yard.  They  are  now  almost  universally  cultivated  through- 
out America,  and  a  most  valuable  variety — so  hardy,  so  beauti- 
ful, and  so  excellent  in  all  the  relations  of  poultry  life. 

The  hens  are  the  best  of  mothers,  and  lay  fine  large  eggs  during 
the  winter.  Even  when  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow,  they 
lay  regularly,  and  in  fact  at  all  times  when  not  employed  in  sit- 


A,  BRAHMA   FOWL. 

ting  or  renewing  their  plumage.     The  pullets  attain  full  size  at 
an  early  age,  and  are  in  their  prime  when  eight  months  old. 

Brahmas  are  doubtless  the  largest  of  all  the  varieties  of  domes- 
tic fowls;  some  have  been  known  to  weigh  seventeen  pounds, 
which  exceeds  the  weight  of  any  other  breed. 


LIGHT  BRAHMA,    COCK  AND  HEN. 

The  dark  Brahmas  have  steadily  progressed  in  favor  since  their 
first  introduction;  their  gigantic  size,  great  weight,  hardihood 
and  prolificacy,  and  the  ease  with  which  they  can  be  kept  in 
confined  ranges,  all  tend  to  render  them  much  esteemed.  To 
sum  up  their  merits,  as  good,  useful,  hardy  fowls,  they  are  un- 
surpassed. They  are  good  layers  of  good  sized  eggs,  good  fora- 
gers and  good  sitters;  as  mothers  they  cannot  be  excelled,  no 
fowls  being  more  careful  not  to  step  on  their  chickens,  brooding 
them  better,  or  searching  more  diligently  for  food.  The  chick- 
ens grow  fast  and  are  exceedingly  hardy;  old  and  young  take 


BRAHMA  FOWL. 


good  care  of  themselves,  and  often  recover  from  ailments  that 
would  carry  off  any  of  a  less  hardy  sort.  They  are  very  good 
for  the  table,  putting  on  flesh  readily;  they  are  also  small  eaters. 


DARK   BRAHMA  HEN. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  DARK  BRAHMA. 

The  head  of  the  dark  Brahma  cock  should  have  a  pea  comb, 
that  is  a  triple  comb;  this  should  be  small,  low  in  front,  and 
firmly  set  in  the  head  without  falling  over  on  either  side,  dis- 
tinctly divided,  so  as  to  have  the  appearance  of  three  small  combs 
joined  together  in  the  lower  part  and  back,  the  largest  being  in 
the  middle,  and  each  part  slightly  and  evenly  serrated. 

The  upper  part  of  the  body  is  silvery  white  striped  with  black; 
\he  breast,  under  part  of  body  and  thighs  either  pure  black  or 


6  BRAHMA  *0WL. 

slightly  mottled  with  white.  The  feathers  that  cover  the  based 
df  the  quill-feathers  of  the  wings  are  of  a  lustrous  green  black, 
and  form  a  broad  well-marked  bar  across  the  wings.  The  flight- 
feathers  are  white  on  the  outer  and  black  on  the  inner  webs.  The 
secondary  quills  have  a  broad,  dark,  green  black  spot  at  the  end 
of  each  feather.  The  tail  is  black.  The  shank  should  be  of  a 
yellow  color,  and  well  clothed  with  dark  feathers  slightly  mot- 
tled with  white. 

The  hens  have  a  grey  head;  neck-hackle  silvery  white,  striped 
with  black.  The  comb  is  the  same  only  of  a  smaller  size.  The 
remainder  of  the  plumage  should  be  dull  white,  and  closely  pen- 
cilled with  dark  steel  grey  so  as  almost  to  cover  the  ground  color 
and  reaching  well  up  the  front  of  the  neck.  The  hen  is  not  so 
upright  in  carriage  as  the  cock,  and  it  is  much  shorter  in  the 
tegs. 

LIGHT  BRAHMA3. 


LIGHT  BBAHMA  HE3. 


BRAHMA   FOWL.  7 

In  color,  the  light  Brahmas  are  characterized  by  the  general 
white  color  of  the  body,  breast  and  thighs.  The  neck-hackle 
should  be  marked  with  a  distinct  black  stripe  down  the  centre 
of  each  feather;  there  is  a  tendency  in  the  cock  to  come  light  or 
cloudy  in  the  hackle — defects  which  very  greatly  detract  from 
their  beauty.  The  saddle-feathers  in  the  cock  are  white  or  light- 
ly striped  with  black,  those  of  the  hen  being  white.  The  first 
ten  flight-feathers  are  black,  but  the  secondary  quills,  which 
alone  are  visible  when  the  wing  is  closed,  are  white  on  the  outer 
web,  consequently  the  dark  color  of  the  wing  is  not  visible  when 
folded.  In  the  cock  the  tail  is  black,  the  tail-coverts  being  beau- 
tifully glossed  with  green,  the  lower  ones  being  margined  with 


LIGHT  BRAHMA  COCK. 


silver,  as  are  the  t w  o  highest  tail-feathers  in  the  hen.  The  shanks 
in  this  variety  should  be  bright  yellow,  well  closed  with  white 
fathers  slightly  mottled  with  black. 


5  COCHINS. 

In  conclusion  I  would  state  that  I  do  not  believe,  all  things 
considered,  that  there  is  any  better  market  fowl  than  the  Brahma; 
some  other  breeds  are  doubtlessly  superior  table  fowls,  but  they 
are  more  tender  and  harder  to  rear. 

Give  your  Brahmas  large  roomy  quarters  in  winter,  and  if 
possible  plenty  of  range  for  exercise;  feed  well,  and  they  -will 
give  you  winter-eggs,  and  those  are  the  kind  that  bring  money. 


COCHINS. 


BUFF  COCHINS. 


The  Cochins  were  first  introduced  into  this  country  under  the 
name  of  Shanghaes;  they  originally  come  from  Shanghae,  and 


COCHINS.  9 

are  to  this  day  found  in  great  numbers  there. "  But  the  Shanghaes, 
as  originally  introduced  and  widely  grown  in  this  country,  were 
gigantic  muscular  birds  of  great  activity  and  wonderful  powers 
of  storing  away  food,  which  was  absorbed  into  muscle  and  bone, 
but  made  comparatively  little  juicy  flesh.  The  consequence  was, 
they  got  a  bad  reputation,  and  the  term  was  finally  one  of  re- 
proach; but  upon  the  vast  improvement  which  was  made  in  them 
by  careful  breeding,  the  name  of  Cochins,  as  designated  by 
cinnamon  or  white  or  buff  or  partridge,  rapidly  superseded  the 
old  term,  and  the  despised  but  vastly  improved  Shanghae  sailed 
under  a  new  name,  and  are  now  raised  as  profitable  birds  all  over 
the  United  States. 

They  are  first-class  layers,  and  in  season  when  new-laid  eggs 
are  rare,  and  from  their  scarcity  of  so  much  increased  value,  this 
species  often  proves  a  source  from  whence  we  can  obtain  supplies. 
They  also  make  capital  mothers,  and  are  quiet  when  sitting. 

In  many  places  where  space  is  limited,  the  Cochins  are  found 
convenient  guests;  they  can  put  up  with  worse  accommodation, 
and  require  less  space  than  almost  any  other  race.  I  do  not 
mean  to  say  that  they  will  thrive  the  better  for  confinement, 
neither  that  fowls  in  general  will  pine  and  die  if  kept  in  a  narrow 
range;  all  fowls  are  better  for  having  ample  space;  but  in  cases 
where"  their  liberties  are  necessarily  abridged  and  more  careful 
tending  is  required  to  counterbalance  want  of  field-room,  the 
Cochin  can  bear  captivity  better  than  any  other  fowl. 

The  roosting- poles  for  Cochins  and  in  fact  all  bulky  fowls 
should  be  near  the  ground;  they  should  be  large  in  diameter  in 
order  that  the  claws  may  maintain  a  firm  clutch  and  perfect 
equilibrium  without  inconvenience  or  effort. 


VARIETIES  OF  THE  COCHIN. 

The  Cochin  fowl  is  a  large  heavy  bird,  very  broad  and  clumsy 


10  SPANISH  FOWL. 

looking.  The  tail  is  very  short  and  nearly  destitute  of  feathers* 
but  the  remainder  of  its  body  is  abundantly  covered.  The  legs 
are  short,  stout,  and  well  feathered;  the  head  should  be  small, 
with  a  single  straight  comb;  the  beak  short  and  strong;  the  wat- 
tles small,  and  the  ear-lobes  red  and  fine  as  to  texture.  There 
are  many  varieties  of  the  Cochin  viz — Buffs;  this  is  the  true 
type  of  the  colored  birds,  and  for  utility,  I  think  the  best. 

Partridge  Cochins. — Very  heavy;  full  round  plump  forms 
and  a  majestic  carriage. 

White  Cochins. — These  should  be  pure  white  all  over.  In  city 
yards  amid  the  smoke  and  dust  the  White  Cochin  do  not  appear 
to  advantage  but  in  the  country  no  variety  looks  more  pleasing, 
as  the  beauty  of  their  p?umage  depends  on  its  clean  and  unsullied 
condition. 

If  well  selected,  properly  taken  care  of,  and  well  fed,  they 
make  a  first-class  table  bird;  they  are  hardy,  do  not  require  much 
space,  and  I  should  recommend  them  to  any  person  who  only 
wants  to  keep  a  few  birds. 


SPANISH  FOWLS. 


The  Spanish  fowls  have  long  been  known  and  highly  esteemed 
in  the  United  States  for  their  great  laying  and  non-sitting  pro- 
pensities. 

All  fowls  are  better  for  being  hatched  in  a  warm  season,  and 
the  Spanish  are  no  exception  to  this.  Though  of  a  sound  consti- 
tution, no  fowl  is  more  injured  by  cold  wet  weather.     Their 


"v^-. 


12  SPANISH  FOWL. 

roosting-places  therefore  should  face  the  south,  and  be  well-pro- 
tected from  cold  winds,  especially  as  they  are  subject  to  long  and 
protracted  moultings.  The  cold  affects  their  comb  also,  which 
is  sometimes  frost-bitten,  with  a  liability  to  mortification. 

The  flesh  of  the  Spanish  Black  fowl  is  juicy  and  of  good  flavor, 
but  not  equal  to  that  of  the  * '  Dorking. ' '  The  flesh  of  the  White 
Spanish  is  not  considered  so  fine  in  flavor,  as  that  of  the  Black, 
yet  it  is  not  bad,  especially  if  young. 

As  layers  they  are  among  the  best,  but  are  seldom  inclined  to 
sit ;  they  generally  produce  two  eggs  consecutively  and  then  miss 
a  day. 

As  to  healthiness,  they  are  less  liable  to  roup  than  lighter- 
colored  birds;  in  fact,  the  Spanish  fowl  is  less  subject  to  disease 
than  are  most  of  the  common  black  varieties. 

In  general  they  are  rather  quarrelsome,  and  are  very  averse  to 
strange  fowls,  and  if  separated  from  each  other  even  for  two  or 
three  days,  the  hens  will  disagree  seriously  upon  being  reunited. 

In  case  of  a  strange  hen  being  tormented  by  her  companions 
for  any  length  of  time,  so  that  she  is  afraid  to  come  and  feed  with 
them,  or  of  the  cock  displaying  his  protracted  dislike  to  her,  it 
will  be  right  to  remove  her,  or  she  may  be  reduced  to  so  low  a 
condition  as  to  render  her  unable  to  escape  their  persecutions,  and 
avoid  death  from  their  violence. 

The  Spanish  pullets  commence  laying  when  six  or  seven  months 
old,  and  occasionally  sooner,  though  some  of  them  commence 
at  a  later  period,  according  to  feeding  and  treatment.  But  pre- 
mature fertility  is  not  to  be  wished  for,  as  it  will  frequently  hap- 
pen that  pullets  which  commence  very  early,  seldom  lay  when 
fully  grown  so  large  an  egg  as  those  produce  which  do  not  lay 
before  they  are  eight  months  old.  Indeed  the  debilitating  effects 
of  either  premature,  or  continual  laying  in  ripe  age,  as  respects 
the  Spanish  breed  are  now  and  then  manifested  by  the  loss  of  the 


SPANISH  FOWL.  13 

body  feathers  in  moulting,  besides  the  usual  falling  off  of  the 
neck,  and  wing,  and  tail  feathers;  and  when  thus  stripped,  the 
poor  birds  look  very  miserable  in  bad  weather. 

In  sitting  Spanish  eggs,  nine  of  them  are  sufficient  for  hens  of 
ordinary  size,  as  they  are  much  larger  than  the  generality  of 
fowls  eggs. 

It  will  be  unwise,  with  any  breed,  to  select  the  first  dozen  of 
a  pullet's  eggs  for  hatching;  they  being  comparatively  immature 
and  small,  it  is  not  likely  that  large  and  strong  chicks  will  be 
the  issue.  Besides,  pullets  occasionally  do  not  enter  into  tender 
union  with  their  male  companions  until  they  have  laid  five  or 
six  eggs. 

The  color  of  the  Spanish  chick,  when  first  hatched,  is  a  shining 
black,  with  a  blotch  of  white  sometimes  on  the  breast,  and  a 
little  white  also  around  the  bill  and  the  eyes.  They  do  not  until 
nearly  grown,  get  their  full  feathers,  and  therefore  they  should 
be  hatched  at  a  favorable  season  of  the  year,  to  be  well  feathered 
before  it  grows  cold  in  the  Fall. 

Spanish  hens  seldom  exhibit  a  disposition  to  undertake  the 
task  of  incubation,  and  if  it  be  attempted,  they  will  in  the  gen- 
erality of  cases  forsake  the  nest  long  before  the  chicks  would  be 
hatched.  Sometimes,  however,  they  will  perseveringly  perform 
the  maternal  duties;  but  it  is  against  their  general  character. 
They  are  exceedingly  long  in  the  leg,  consequently  are  subject 
to  cramp;  this  partly  accounts  for  their  being  so  averse  to  such 
sedentary  occupation.  Since,  therefore,  they  will  not  undertake 
the  office  of  mothers,  we  must  impose  it  upon  some  other  class 
of  fowl,  that  will  not  only  accept  the  task,  but  will  joyfully  hatch 
and  rear  the  young  of  even  another  species  until  they  are  able  to 
take  care  of  themselves.  It  is  by  this  means  the  Spanish  breed 
is  still  preserved  and  multiplied. 


14  SPANISH   FOWL. 

VARIETIES  AND  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  SPANISH  FOWL. 

A  full  grown  black  Spanish  cock  weighs  seven  pounds;  the  hen, 
about  six  pounds.  The  principal  features,  and  those  which  form 
the  most  striking  contrasts  to  those  of  other  fowls,  are,  its  com- 
plete suit  of  glossy  black,  large  face,  and  ear-lobe  of  white; 
enlivened  by  comb  and  gills  of  excessive  development.  The 
peculiarities  of  these  contrasts  induce  me  to  describe  them  in 
detail.  The  plumage  is  of  a  rich  satin,  black,  reflecting  their 
shades  of  bluish,  greenish  purple,  when  exposed  to  the  sun's  rays; 
the  feathers  of  the  breast,  belly,  and  thighs,  are  black,  of  the 
most  decided  hue.  The  hens  are  of  a  similar  feather,  but  less 
brilliant.  The  face  and  ear-lobes  especially  the  latter,  are  of 
pearly  whiteness;  the  face  should  extend  above  the  eye,  encircle 
it,  and  meet  the  comb;  it  still  increases  as  the  bird  grows  older, 
continuing  to  enlarge  in  size,  especially  with  hens,  which  seldom 
have  a  really  good  show  of  face  until  two  years  of  age,  even 
beyond  the  time  of  their  full  growth;  and  the  more  face  and  ear- 
lobe,  the  more  valuable  either  the  cock  or  hen.  The  comb  of 
the  cock  should  be  erect  and  serrated,  almost  extending  to  the 
nostrils,  and  of  bright  scarlet;  it  should  be  fine  in  texture,  and 
exhibit  no  sign  of  excrescences.  In  hens  this  uprightness  of 
comb  cannot  be  obtained,  owing  to  its  abundant  size  and  thin- 
ness of  base.  The  wattles  are  long,  pendulous,  of  high  color, 
and  well  folded.  The  head  is  long,  and  there  should  be  no  top- 
knot behind  the  comb,  nor  muff  round  the  neck .  The  beak  is 
long,  and  generally  black,  it  should  be  slightly  curved,  and  thick 
at  the  base.  The  eyes  are  very  full,  bright  and  of  a  rich  chest- 
nut color:  they  are  somewhat  prominent.  The  neck  is  rather 
long,  but  strong  and  thick  towards  the  base,  the  neck  hackle 
being  a  glossy  black;  the  chest  and  body  are  broad  and  black, 
the  former  being  particularly  dark;  the  wings  are  of  a  moderate 
size,  whilst  the  coverts  are  beautifully  shaded,  and  of  a  bluish 


SPANISH  FOWL.  15 

black.  The  thighs  are  neat  but  long,  as  also  is  the  shank,  which 
is  of  a  leaden  or  dark  blue  color,  and  sometimes  of  a  pale  blue- 
white.  The  soles  of  the  feet  are  of  a  dingy  flesh-color;  the  tail 
is  rather  erect  and  well  balanced,  presenting  if  well  plumed  (as 
it  should  be)  a  very  elegant  green  hued  shade. 

White  Spanish. — These  birds  are  not  so  hardy,  but  the"" 
inherit  the  usual  qualities  of  the  black;  the  general  feathers,  like 
the  face  being  perfectly  white. 

The  Ancona. — There  is  seldom  much  white  about  the  face 
of  this  variety,  and  in  many  cases  none;  the  ear-lobes  is,  however, 
of  that  color,  though  not  so  long  and  full  as  in  the  Black.  They 
possess  the  general  characteristics  of  the  Spanish  class,  and  are 
excellent  layers.  They  are  of  a  very  unsettled  color,  spotted 
<vith  white  but  far  from  regularly  marked;  they  also  present  many 
ther  shades  and  colors. 

Minorcas. — These  are  very  similar  to  the  last  named  variety, 
wanting  the  white  face  of  the  Black  tribe;  the  shank  is  not  so 
.ong  as  in  the  true  Black.  They  are  good  layers,  but  bad  sitters 
and  mothers. 

Andalusian. — When  carefully  selected,  the  chicks  throw 
black  and  white  and  if  those  most  resembling  the  originals  are 
bred  together,  a  neat  grey  bird  may  be  obtained.  They  are  good 
layers,  and  far  better  sitters  and  mothers  than  the  Blacks,  and 
have  shorter  shanks;  whilst  their  principal  peculiarity  consists  in 
a  tail  standing  very  erect,  the  feathers  of  which  in  many  spe- 
cimens nearly  touch  the  hackle-feathers  of  the  neck.  They  are 
a  very  hardy  fowl,  and  possess  a  fair  share  of  the  Black's  good 
qualities. 

There  are  many  other  sub-varieties,  or  rather  strains,  that 
have  crossed  with  the  Spanish  stock,  but  they  neither  deserve 
nor  possess  a  distinct  name. 


16  DORKING  FOWL. 

The  superiority  of  the  Spanish  generally,  as  egg  producers,  is  so 
decided,  that  any  oross  from  them  meriting  the  character  of 
everlasting  layers,  is  worth  encouragement.  It  is  to  be  recol- 
lected that  the  Hamburgh  or  Dutch  is  not  the  only  sort  from  which 
everlasting  layers  have  sprung.  Any  hens  which  with  warmth 
and  good  feeding  will  lay  eggs  continuously,  and  especially 
through  the  winter,  are  to  be  welcomed.  And  though  the  debil- 
itating effects  of  continued  laying  must  tell  upon  the  constitution, 
yet  where  stock  is  not  desired  for  a  mere  gratification  of  the  eye, 
but  kept  on  economical  principles,  it  cannot  be  inexpedient  to 
stimulate  the  prolific  powers  of  hens  to  the  utmost.  If  good 
layers  which  have  not  the  presumption  to  compete  for  the  prizes 
of  birth  or  beauty,  can  by  clever  management,  be  induced  to  lay 
within  two  years  the  entire  compliment  of  eggs  which  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  nature  would  not  be  yielded  by  them  in  less 
than  three  years,  there  is  an  actual  saving  gained  of  at  least  one- 
third  of  food,  if  these  effete  layers  be  then  fattened  and  killed. 
No  breed  would  be  better  if  this  plan  is  strictly  applied,  than 
that  of  the  common  Blacks  of  Spanish  blood,  or  some  of  their 
sub-varieties. 


THE  DORKING  FOWL. 


Of  distinct  English  breeds  the  Dorkings  are  the  most  celebra- 
ted. For  those  who  wish  to  stock  their  poultry-yard  with  fowls 
of  the  most  desirable  shape  and  size,  clothed  in  rich  and  varie- 
gated plumage,  and  not  expecting  perfection  are  willing  to  over- 
look one  or  two  other  points,  the  speckled  Dorkings  are  the 
breed  to  be  at  once  selected.     The  hens,  in  addition  to  their  gay 


DORKING  FOWL. 


»7 


GRAY  ENGLISH   DORKINGS. 


colors,  have  a  large  vertically  flat  comb,  which,  when  they  are 
in  high  health,  adds  very  much  to  their  brilliant  appearance. 
The  cocks  are  magnificent;  the  most  gorgeous  hues  are  frequently 
lavished  upon  them,  which  their  great  size  and  peculiarly  square- 
built  form  displays  to  great  advantage.  The  breeder,  and  the 
farmer's  wife,  behold  with  delight  their  broad  breast,  the  small 
proportion  of  offal,  and  the  large  quantity  of  profitable  flesh. 


18  DOKKING   FOWL. 

The  Cockerels  may  be  brought  to  considerable  weight,  and  the 
flavor  and  appearance  of  the  meat  arc  inferior  to  none.  They 
are  only  fair  layers,  but  at  due  and  convenient  intervals  mani- 
fest the  desire  of  sitting.  Having  short,  compact  legs,  they  are 
well  formed  for  incubation.  The  Dorkings  are  not  well  suited  for 
damp  soils,  by  reason  of  the  shortness  of  their  legs.  They  are 
also  distinguished  for  breadth  of  body,  the  somewhat  partridge 
form,  and  also,  in  the  poultry  phraze,  for  being  clean  headed. 
Though  they  possess  great  similarity  of  form,  there  is  much  vari- 
ety of  color;  but  they  are  generally  distinguished  as  white,  grey 
or  speckled,  and  also  by  the  character  of  the  comb — viz,  as  single 
and  double,  or  rose  combed;  and  classed  accordingly  at  the  poul- 
try shows. 
The  fifth  or  supernumerarytoe  is  the  peculiar  mark  distinctive  of 
ie  whole  breed  under  consideration.  Though  the  Creator  has 
.ot  designed  anything  without  its  appropriative  purpose,  this 
additional  member  must  rather  be  deemed  a  distinctive  than  a 
useful  one,  just  as  the  absence  of  a  tail,  or  the  color  and  size  of 
a  comb  may  distinguish  an  individual  race  of  fowls.  These  over- 
furnished  claws  have  been  denounced  as  sources  of  danger  and 
annoyance  to  young  chicks  when  first  issuing  from  the  shell, 
rendering  the  mother's  movements  hazardous  to  them.  I  have 
never  seen  them  do  so,  and  even  if  they  did  how  is  the  hen  to  be 
employed  when  the  sitting  fit  comes  on,  for  they  are  persevering 
sitters,  and  as  neither  worrying,  nor  whipping,  nor  fettering,  nor 
physicking,  or  the  cold  shower  bath,  will  subdue  their  natural 
instinct  to  set,  they  should  be  allowed  to  follow  their  instinct, 
and  incubate  in  peace. 

The  Dorkings  are  a  very  heavy  fowl  when  fat,  as  their  frame 
work  is  not  of  that  lengthy,  incompact  structure  which  it  is  so 
difficult  to  fill  up  with  flesh  and  fat;  they  much  sooner  become 
tempting  figures  for  trussing  and  skewering  than  other  fowls. 
They  have  a  great  aptitude  for  fattening  when  rendered  capons. 


DORKING  FOWL.  19 


VARIETIES  AND  DESCRIPTION. 


White  Dorkings. — This  variety  seldom  produces  more  than 
two  broods  a  year,  because  they  require  more  favorable  seasons, 
and  greater  warmth  than  the  colored. 

The  white  is  not  so  large  as  the  colored,  and,  as  a  general  rule, 
whiteness  in  animal  physiology  is  indicative  of  constitutional 
delicacy.  Their  average  weight  is  less  than  that  of  the  colored, 
and  like  all  white  feathered  poultry,  the  flesh  has  a  tendency  to 
yellowness. 

The  white  cock  and  hen  are  perfectly  white  in  the  plumage, 
bills,  and  legs;  both  should  have  a  double  or  rose-comb  of  bright 
red,  though  a  single  one  is  frequent,  but  this  is  considered  a  sign 
of  degeneracy.  The  cock  is  very  upright  and  spirited  in  his 
appearance,  and  his  spurs  are  usually  lower  than  those  in  other 
species.  The  fifth  toe  should  be  well  defined.  The  hen  has  no 
individualities. 

The  Grey  or  Speckled  Dorking  Cock. — The  head  round, 
and  furnished  with  double  or  single  comb,  of  bright  red;  wattles, 
large  and  pendent;  the  ear-lobes  almost  white;  hackles,  a  cream 
white,  and  the  feathers  of  the  hackles  dark  along  the  centre;  the 
back,  grey  of  different  shades,  interspersed  with  black;  saddle 
feathers,  same  as  hackles  in  color;  wing  feathers,  white,  mixed 
with  black;  the  larger  wing  coverts,  black;  the  lesser,  brown  and 
yellow,  shaded  with  white;  breast  and  thighs,  black  or  dark 
brown;  tail  feathers,  very  dark,  with  a  metallic  lustre. 

The  Gre-x  or  Colored  Hen. — Face,  lighter  colored  than 
that  of  the  cocks;  hackles,  black  and  white;  back,  dark  grey; 
saddle  and  wing,  grey,  tipped  with  black;  tail,  almost  black. 
Five  claws  and  white  legs  characterize  both  sexes. 


20  POLAND  FOWL. 


POLAND  FOWLS. 


WHITE  CRESTED  BLACK  POLISH  COCK  AND  HEH. 

The  Polands  are  excellent  layers  of  perfectly  white  and  mod- 
erately-sized eggs,  much  pointed  at  the  smaller  end.  They  seem 
to  be  less  inclined  to  sit  than  any  other  breed,  and  it  is  judicious 
to  put  their  eggs  under  other  nurses.  The  chicks  of  both  sexes, 
which  are  hardly  distinguishable  for  many  weeks,  are  very  or- 
namental. The  male  bird  is  first  distinguished  by  the  tail  remain- 
ing depressed,  awaiting  the  growth  of  the  sickle  feathers,  whereas 
the  female  carries  it  uprightly  from  the  first*  also,  the  top-knot 
in  the  cockerels  hangs  more  backward  than  in  the  pullets. 

Their  nesh  is  excellent,  being  white,  tender  and  juicy. 

During  three  or  four  years  the  cocks  in  particular  increase  in 
size,  hardihood,  and  beauty,  different  in  this  from  fowls  gener- 
ally, which  advance  much  more  rapidly  to  their  highest  points 


POLAND  FOWL.  21 

of  perfection,  but  from  which  they  fall  away  with  corresponding 
rapidity. 

The  Polands  are  extremely  tender,  and  so  difficult  to  rear,  that 
the  eggs  should  not  be  set  before  the  middle  of  May,  as  dampness 
is  fatal  to  them  while  very  young;  but,  if  they  live  to  be  adults, 
no  fowls  are  more  hardy,  or  profitable  as  layers,  or  more  delicious 
for  the  table. 

Their  demerits  are  few,  and  of  no  serious  importance.  They 
are  not  at  all  suited  to  dirty  farmyards,  becoming  blind  and 
miserable  with  dirt.  They  do  not  lay  quite  so  early  in  the  year 
as  other  tribes,  and  are  not  suited  for  the  office  of  mothers  and 
nurses,  from  their  great  disposition  to  lay;  and  when  they  do  sit, 
they  are  rather  unsteady  and  perverse.  Now  these  objections 
may  be  dismissed,  because  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  the  sub- 
stitution of  hens  of  other  tribes  for  hatching,  and  if  the  Polish 
hens  and  pullets  themselves  in  the  mean  time  lay  eggs,  there  is 
no  loss  in  an  economical  point  of  view. 

We  have  good  practical  authority  for  stating  that  the  critical 
period  of  their  lives  is  from  the  second  to  the  sixth  month. 


DESCRIPTION  AND  VARIETIES. 

The  crest  of  the  cock  is  composed  of  straight  feathers,  some- 
thing like  those  of  a  hackle  or  saddle;  they  grow  from  the  centre 
of  the  crown  and  fall  over  outside,  forming  a  circular  crest.  That 
of  the  hen  is  made  up  of  feathers  growing  out  and  turning  in  at 
the  extremities,  till  they  form  a  large  top-knot,  which  should  in 
shape  resemble  a  cauliflower.  The  comb  of  the  cock  is  peculiar, 
inasmuch  as  it  is  very  small,  scarcely  any  on  the  top  of  the  head, 
and  having  in  front  two  small  spirals  or  fleshy  horns.  The  car- 
riage is  upright,  and  the  breast  more  protuberant  than  in  any 
other  fowl,  save  the  Sebright  bantam.  The  body  is  very  round 
and  full,  slightly  tapering  to  the  tail,  which  is  carried  erect,  and 


22 


POLAND  FOWL. 


which  is  ample,  spreading  towards  the  extremity  in  the  hen,  and 
having  well  defined  sickle  feathers  in  the  cock.  The  legs  should 
be  lead  color  or  black,  and  rather  short  than  otherwise. 


The  varieties  among  us  are  the  Black;  White;  the  Golden  Span- 
gled; and  the  Silver  Spangled. 

Black  Polands. — Cock;  body,  neck,  and  tail,  black,  with 
metallic  tints  of  green;  crest,  white,  with  a  few  black  feathers 
at  the  base  of  the  bill;  comb,  very  small,  consisting  only  of  ^*« 


ST7LTAN  FOWL.  2d 

or  three  spikes;  large  wattles,  bright  red;  ear-lobe,  white;  the 
skull,  instead  of  being  flat  as  in  other  varieties,  has  a  fleshy  pro- 
tuberance or  round  knob. 

Hen;  the  same  colors;  wattles  smaller  than  those  of  the  cock; 
in  other  points  the  same. 

"White  Polands. — These  should  be  pure  white  all  over  with 
the  exception  of  the  legs  which  are  of  a  blue  or  slate  color. 

Golden  Spangled. — Cock;  ground  color,  very  bright  ochre 
yellow,  black  spangles,  which,  in  a  particular  light,  have  a  beau- 
tiful greenish  tint;  crest,  chestnut,  with  a  few  white  feathers, 
black  beard;  comb  and  wattles  small;  hackle  and  saddle  feathers, 
golden  yellow;  thigh,  generally  black,  but  some  specimens  have 
them  spangled;  sickle  feathers,  dark  brown  and  very  large,  the 
smaller  side  ones  lighter  in  the  colors,  and  beautifully  faced  with 
alack;  legs,  slate  color. 

Hens; — general  colors  the  same;  breast,  neck,  and  back,  span- 
gled; tail  and  wing  feathers,  laced. 

Silver  Spangled. — The  only  difference  between  this  variety 
and  the  preceding  one  is  in  the  ground,  which  is  a  beautiful 
silver  white. 

The  Polands  very  often  have  crooked  backs;  when  buying 
them  the  best  mode  for  detecting  the  deformity  is  to  lay  the  palm 
of  the  right  hand  flat  on  the  bird's  back,  by  which  any  irregu- 
larity of  either  hip,  or  a  curve  in  the  back  bone  from  the  hips  to 
the  tail  will  be  detected. 


THE  SULTAN  FOWL. 

The  Sultans,  or  Feather- footed  White  Polish,  are  a  very  ele- 
gant and  pleasing  variety,  and  were  imported  from  Constanti- 
nople.    They  partake  of  the  character  of  the  Polish  in  their  chief 


24  SULTAN   FOWL. 

characteristics,  in  compactness  of  form  and  good  laying  qualities. 

In  general  habits  they  are  brisk  and  happy  tempered.  They 
are  very  good  layers  of  large  white  eggs,  but  are  non-sitters  and 
small  eaters. 

As  adults  they  are  very  hardy,  with  the  exception  of  the  ten- 
dency to  cold,  to  which  all  crested  birds  are  subject  when  ex- 
posed; but  the  chickens,  from  their  rapid  and  early  feathering, 
are  difficult  to  rear,  evidently  suffering  severely  from  the  extra 
strain  oh  their  young  constitutions. 

DESCRIPTION. 

In  form  they  are  .very  plump,  full  crested,  short-legged  and 
compact;  the  plumage  pure  and  unsullied  white  throughout  and 
very  abundant;  their  tails  are  ample,  and  carried  erect;  their 
thighs  are  short,  and  furnished  with  feathers  which  project 
beyond  the  joint,  or  vulture  hocked.  Their  legs  are  short,  white, 
and  profusely  feathered  to  the  feet,  which  are  five  toed.  The 
comb  consists  of  two  small  spikes  situated  at  the  base  of  a  full- 
sized  globular  Polish  crest;  the  wattles  are  small  and  red,  wrin- 
kled, both  sexes  being  amply  bearded.  No  fowls  are  more  abun- 
dantly decorated — full  tail  of  sickle-feathers,  abundant  furnish- 
ing, boots,  vulture-hocks,  beards,  whiskers,  and  full  round  Polish 
crests,  formed  of  closely-set,  silky,  arched  feathers,  not  conceal- 
ing the  eyes,  but  leaving  them  unobscured. 

The  legs,  as  old  age  approaches,  are  apt  to  get  red,  swollen  and 
inflamed,  perhaps  from  the  spur  growing  in  a  curved  form  and 
producing  irritation. 

All  the  varieties  of  the  Polish  if  kept  in  a  damp  situation  are 
liable  to  a  cold,  apt  to  degenerate  into  roup,  and  if  they  are  too 
closely  bred,  liable  to  tuberculous  diseases  and  deformity  of  the 
spine,  causing  humpback,  they  are  also  very  subject  to  vermin 


Ml/.vAY    FOWL.  25 

unless  supplied  with  a  sand  bath;  vermin,  however,  may  bs 
readily  destroyed  by  dusting  flour  of  sulpher  under  the  feathers 
with  a  common  flour-dredger. 


THE  MALAY  FOWL. 


The  Malay  is  a  large  heavy  fowl,  with  close  fitting  plumage; 
it  stands  very  high,  and  has  an  upright  carriage;  height  is  con- 
sidered a  great  point  in  this  breed;  the  head  is  small  for  the  size 
of  the  bird,  with  considerable  fulness  over  the  eye,  which  should 
be  pearl,  and  the  hawk  bill  should  be  quite  free  from  stain.  Like 
the  game  fowl,  the  Malays  are  most  pugnacious  and  determined 
fighters,  and  therefore  not  suitable  for  small  yards.  If  they  can 
get  no  other  enemy  they  will  even  fight  their  own  shadows. 

The  chickens  fledge  late,  and  have  for  a  long  while  a  bare, 
wretched  appearance.  They  require  a  dry,  warm  temperature, 
as  in  youth,  before  being  fully  feathered,  they  are  very  delicate 
and  highly  susceptible  of  cold  and  wet. 

The  Malays  are  good  layers  and  sitters  and  after  they  are  full 
grown,  ean  be  kept  most  anywhere,  but  on  account  of  their 
vindictive  cruel  nature  they  are  by  no  means  desirable  to  have 
and  my  advice  is,  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  them. 


GAME  FOWL, 


GAME  FOWLS. 


BLACK  BREASTED  RED  GAME   FOWLS. 


This  noble  race  has  relationship,  though  now  of  remote  gener- 
ations, with  the  Malays.  Before  we  had  any  of  this  breed,  the 
inhabitants  of  several  portions  of  the  Malay  or  Malacca  peninsula, 
and  various  parts  of  the  East,  possessed  them,  and  used  them 
chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  cock-fighting. 

A  thorough-bred  Game  cock  of  high  degree  never  fails  in 
courage  when  opposed  to  one  of  his  own  order.  And  the  Game 
fowl  is  the  only  bird  put  to  the  test  of  combat  to  prove  whether 
he  be  genuine  or  not. 


GAME   FOWL.  27 

There  is  a  generally  recognized  standard  foi*  form  and  figure, 
which  must  not  be  departed  from,  whatever  variety  of  color  the 
birds  may  present.  In  weight  they  vary;  four  pounds  eight  or 
ten  ounces  was  the  weight  aimed  at  by  the  breeders  for  the  cock- 
pit, but  six  pounds  is  often  reached,  when  two  years  old;  but 
beyond  this  weight  impurity  of  blood  may  be  suspected. 

The  carriage  and  form  of  the  Game  cock  are  certainly  more 
beautiful  than  that  of  any  other  variety  of  domestic  fowl.  The 
neck  is  long,  strong  and  gracefully  curved;  the  hackle  short  and 
very  close;  the  breast  broad;  the  back  short,  broad  across  the 
shoulders;  the  whole  body  very  firm  and  hard,  with  a  perfectly 
straight  breast  and  back,  the  latter  tapering  toward  the  tail;  the 
wings  large  and  powerful,  and  carried  closely  pressed  into  the 
sides;  the  thighs  strong,  muscular  and  short,  tightly  clothed  with 
feathers,  and  well  set  forward  on  the  body,  so  as  to  be  available 
for  fighting;  the  shanks  rather  long,  strong  but  not  coarse,  cov- 
ered with  fine  scales;  the  feet  flat  and  thin,  the  toes  long  and 
spreading,  so  as  to  give  a  good  hold  on  the  ground;  the  hind  toe 
must  be  set  low  down,  so  as  to  rest  flatly  on  the  ground,  and  not 
merely  touch  with  the  point — a  defect  which  is  known  as  "duck- 
footed,"  and  renders  the  bird  unsteady  when  pushed  backward 
by  his  opponent.  0 

The  plumage  is  compact,  hard  and  mail-like  to  a  remarkable 
degree,  and  possesses  a  brilliant  glossiness  that  cannot  be  sur- 
passed. The  tail  in  the  cock  is  rather  long,  the  sickle  feathers 
gracefully  arched  and  carried  closely  together,  the  whole  tail 
curved  backward  and  not  brought  forward  over  the  back — a 
defect  called  squirrel-tailed. 

The  head  is  extremely  beautiful,  being  thin  and  long,  like  that 
of  a  greyhound;  the  beak  massive  at  its  root,  strong,  and  well 
curved;  the  eye  large,  very  full,  and  brilliant  in  lustre;  the  ear- 
lobe  and  face  of  a  bright  scarlet,  and  the  comb  in  undubbed 
birds  single,  erect,  and  thin.     The  spur,  which  is  exceedingly 


•imc  vowl. 


dense  and  sharp,  should  be  set  low  on  the  leg,  increasing  its 
power;  spurs  are  frequently  on  the  hens. 
In  the  hen,  the  form,  making  due  allowance  for  the  difference 


of  sex  and  alteration  of  plumage,  resembles  that  of  the  cock. 
The  head  is  neater,  the  face  lean  and  thin.  The  small  thin  comb 
should  be  low  in  front,  evenly  serrated,   and  perfectly  erect. 


GAME  FOWL.  *» 

The  deaf-ear  and  wattles  should  be  small.  The  neck,  from  the 
absence  of  hackle  feathers,  looks  longer  and  more  slender  than 
that  of  her  mate.  The  tail  feathers  should  be  held  closely 
together,  and  not  spread  out  like  a  fan.  The  plumage  should  be 
so  close  that  the  form  of  the  wing  should  be  distinctly  visible, 
the  outline  not  being  hidden  by  the  feathers  of  the  body. 

As  the  Game  fowl  is  impatient  of  restraint,  a  good  grass  run 
is  essential  to  keep  it  in  good  condition.  In  breeding  great?  care 
must  be  taken  in  matching,  as  regards  form,  feather  and  the 
color  of  the  beak  and  legs.  Much  depends  upon  the  purity  of 
the  hens,  for  a  good  Game  hen,  with  a  dunghill  cock,  will  breed 
good  fighting  birds,  but  the  best  Game  cock,  with  a  dunghill 
hen,  will  not  breed  a  bird  good  for  anything.  It  is  not  desirable 
to  mate  old  birds;  a  stag,  or  last  year's  bird  placed  with  hens 
two  or  three  years  old,  will  produce  finer  chickens  than  when 
an  old  cock  is  mated  with  last  season's  hens.  For  great  excel- 
lence, four  hens  with  one  cock  is  sufficient. 

The  hens  are  good  layers  and  as  sitters  have  no  superiors. 
Quiet  on  their  eggs,  regular  in  coming  off,  and  confident,  in  their 
fearlessness,  of  repelling  intruders,  they  rarely  fail  to  rear  good 
broods,  and  defend  them  from  violent  attacks. 

The  newly-hatched  chickens  are  very  attractive;  those  of  the 
darker  breeds  are  light  brown,  with  a  dark  brown  stripe  down 
the  back  and  a  narrower  line  over  the  eye.  The  duck- wings, 
grays  and  blues  have  proportionally  paler  hues,  but  the  stripe  is 
seldom  absent. 

The  chickens  feather  rapidly,  and  with  good  care  and  liberal, 
varied  diet,  such  as  cottage  cheese,  chopped  egg,  with  a  portion 
of  onions,  bread  crumbs,  grits,  boiled  oatmeal,  barley  and  wheat, 
with  some  milk  in  the  earlier  stages  of  their  growth,  are  reared 
with  less  difficulty  than  other  fowls. 

As  Game  fowls  will  fight,  and  as  they  are  frequently  trained 
for  fighting,  it  is  argued  that  their  combs,  ear-lobes  and  wattle* 


fcOMI&iQUBi  FOWL. 

/nouid  be  removed,  or  "dubbed."    This  bad  best  be  entrusted 
to  the  skilled  professional. 

VARIETIES. 

The  recognized  varieties  of  Game  fowls  are — the  Black;  Black 
breasted  Red;  White;  White  Pile;  Blue;  Brown-red;  Red  Pile; 
Gray;  Spangled;  Ginger-red;  Silver  Duck-wing;  Yellow  Duck- 
wing. 


DOMINIQUE  FOWL, 


BANTAMS.  31 


THE  DOMINIQUE  FOWL. 

This  seems  to  be  a  tolerable  distinct  and  permanent  variety, 
about  the  size  of  the  common  Dunghill  Fowl.  Their  name  is 
taken  from  the  island  of  Dominica,  from  which  they  are  reported 
to  have  been  imported.  Take  all  in  all,  they  are  one  of  the  very 
best  breeds  of  fowl  which  we  have;  and  although  they  do  not 
come  in  to  laying  so  young  as  the  Spanish,  they  are  far  better 
sitters  and  nursers.  Their  combs  are  generally  double,  and  the 
wattles  are  quite  small.  Their  plumage  presents,  all  over,  a  sort 
of  greenish  appearance,  from  a  peculiar  arrangement  of  blue  and 
white  feathers,  which  is  the  chief  characteristic  of  the  variety; 
although  in  some  specimens,  the  plumage  is  gray  in  both  cock 
and  hen.  They  are  very  hardy,  healthy,  excellent  layers  and 
capital  sitters.  No  fowl  have  better  stood  the  tests  of  mixing 
without  deteriorating  than  the  pure  Dominique. 


SEBRIGHT   BANTAM. 


82  HAMBURG  FOWL. 

THE  BANTAMS. 

Bantams  are  generally  kept  more  for  show  and  amusement 
chan  anything  else,  although,  even  as  profitable  poultry  they  are 
not  destitute  of  merit;  in  proportion  to  the  food  they  consume, 
they  furnish  a  fair  supply  of  eggs.  As  table  fowls,  the  hardy 
little  Game  Bantams  are  excellent,  plump,  full  chested  and 
meaty.  As  useful  and  ornamental  pets,  I  know  of  no  birds  that 
are  superior.  The  Sebright  Bantams  are  the  most  esteemed  by 
fanciers.  The  cocks  should  not  weigh  more  than  twenty-seven 
ounces;  hens  about  twenty-three,  but  the  lighter  in  weight  the 
more  they  are  appreciated. 

The  chicks  of  the  Bantams  generally  should  be  hatched  in  fine 
weather,  and  kept  for  some  time  in  a  cozy  place. 
VARIETIES. 

Golden  Sebright;  Silver  Sebright;  Game;  Rose-combed  Black; 
Rose-combed  White;  Japanese;  Pekin;  Booted  White;  and  White- 
crested  White  Polish. 


GOLDEN  SPANGLED  HAMBURG  COCK  AND  HSW- 


HAMBURG   FOWL. 


THE  HAMBURG  FOWL. 


These  fowls  are  "Everlasting  layers"  and  are  seldom  inclined 
to  sit.  They  are  too  small  in  size  to  rear  for  table,  and  I  think 
too  delicate  when  young  to  rear  at  all;  only  they  are  such  won- 
derfully good  layers,  that  one  dislikes  to  dispense  with  them, 
They  are  also  known  as  Chittaprats,  Bolton  Greys,  Pencilled 
Dutch,  Silver  Hamburgs,  Creole,  Bolton  Bays,  Golden  Ham- 
burgs.  They  are  a  very  noisy  fowl,  and  if  the  hen-roost  should 
be  disturbed  at  night,  nothing  but  death  or  liberty  will  induce 
„hem  to  hold  the  peace. 


SILVER  SPAITGLBD  HAMBURGS. 


DESCRIPTION  AND  VARIETIES. 

The  Hamburgs  have  a  graceful  and  upright  carriage.  The 
head  in  the  cock  is  small;  beak  of  a  dark  color,  medium  in  size; 
rose  comb  of  a  deep  red  color  not  inclining  to  droop  on  either 


34  PLYMOUTH  BOCKS. 

side,  the  top  covered  with  small  points  and  ending  in  a  spike; 
ear-lobes,  white  of  medium  size;  wattles,  red;  neck  curved; 
hackle,  large  and  flowing;  body,  round;  breast,  very  full;  plu- 
mage close  and  glossy;  legs  rather  short.  The  varieties  are — 
Black;  White;  Golden  Pencilled;  Silver  Pencilled;  Golden 
Spangled;  Silver  Spangled. 


PLYMOUTH  ROCKS. 

"If  there  is  a  better  breed  for  the  farmer,  or  for  those  who 
desire  both  eggs  and  chickens,  we  have  failed  to  find  it :  although 
many  have  been  tried  and  'found  wanting.'  " 

^The  great  popularity  that  the  Plymouth  Rock  fowl  has  attained 
in  so  short  a  time,  is  without  a  parallel  in  the  annals  of  gallina- 
culture,  and  no  other  breed  is  so  highly  esteemed  in  America 
to-day.  It  has  attained  this  popularity,  too,  entirely  on  its  own 
intrinsic  merit,  without  the  eclat  of  foreign  origin,  or  the  outlay 
of  large  sums  of  money  in  "puffing."  As  table  fowls,  they  have 
no  equal  in  America;  being  exceedingly  sweet,  juicy,  fine-grained, 
tender,  and  delicate.  As  spring  chickens,  they  are  the  very  best 
breed,  for,  added  to  the  excellence  of  their  flesh,  they  feather 
early,  and  mature  with  remarkable  rapidity.  As  market  fowls, 
they  are  unsurpassed,  being  large  (cocks  weigh  9  to  11  pounds, 
hens  7  to  9),  and  very  plump  bod;es,  with  full  breasts,  clean, 
bright  yellow  legs,  and  yellow  skin;  they  always  command  the 
highest  price.  As  egg-producers,  they  are  only  excelled  by  the 
Leghorn  class,  and  lay  more  eggs  than  any  other  breed  that 


frLYMOtltll  ROCKS.  35 

hatches  and  rears  its  own  young,  and  can  be  depended  upon  for 
eggs  all  the  year  round.    Their  eggs  are  also  of  large  size,  very  rich, 


and  fine-flavored,    from   white  to  redish-brown  in    color.     In 
hardiness,   both  as  chicks  and   mature  fowls,   they   are    also 


36  21YM0TJT  H  K06Ki. 

unequaled,  and  being  out-and-out  an  American  breed,  they  adapt 
themselves  to  all  climates  and  situations  better  than  any  other 
breed.  Their  combs  and  wattles  being  of  moderate  size,  are  not 
liable  to  freeze,  and  they  have  no  feathers  on  the  lower  part  of 
their  legs  to  drabble  in  the  snow  and  mud,  and  thereby  chill 
them.  In  plumage,  they  are  bluish-gray,  each  feather  distinctly 
penciled  across  with  bars  of  a  darker  color,  hence  are  very 
admirable,  and  not  likely  to  become  soiled  by  the  smoke  and 
dust  of  the  city.  Added  to  their  fine  plumage,  their  symmetrical 
form  and  upright  and  pleasing  carriage  enable  them  to  vie  with 
most  breeds,  either  upon  the  lawn,  in  the  yard  of  the  fancier,  or 
in  the  exhibition  hall.  As  mothers,  they  are  excellent,  being 
neither  non-sitters  nor  persistent  sitters,  are  kind  and  gentle, 
and  good  foragers.  In  disposition,  they  are  quiet,  gentle,  and 
cheerful,  bear  confinement  well,  and  are  easily  confined,  their 
wings  being  too  small,  and  bodies  too  large  to  admit  to  much 
progress  in  fight.  If  given  range,  they  will  find  their  own  living, 
and  if  confined,  need  a  remarkably  small  amount  of  food  for 
such  large  fowls.  In  fine,  this  comparatively  new  breed  com- 
bines all  the  sturdy  and  excellent  qualities  of  the  ideal  fowl  to  a 
wonderful  degree,  (the  merits  of  the  large  flesh-producing  and 
small  egg-producing  breeds,)  filling  a  place  long  sought  for,  but 
never  before  attained,  and  is  a  golden  mean.  It  is  pre-eminently 
the  farmer's  and  mechanics'  fowl — in  fact  the  best  fowl  for  all 
who  have  facilities  for  keeping  but  one  variety,  and  desire  that 
one  to  be  a  "general  purpose"  breed. 


LANGSHANS. 


St 


LANGSHANS, 


LANGSHAN  FOWL. 


The  Langshan  is  the  latest  acquisition  to  our  poultry  yards 
from  Asia,  and,  judging  from  our  experience  with  other  Asiatic 
breeds,  their  origin  certainly  augers  well  for  their  future  in  this 
country.  They  are  natives  of  northern  China,  and  consequently 
accustomed  to  its  rugged  climate. 

The  discoverer  of  this  variety  in  China  was  a  scientist  in  the 
employ  of  the  British  government,  and  not  a  "chicken  fancier," 
particularly.  Eight  years  ago,  he  wrote  thus  to  his  English 
friends:  "I  send  you  some  fine  fowls  by  the  steamer  Archilles, 
of  Hall  &  Holt's  line.  They  are  clear  black,  and  are  called  Lang- 
ahcm$%    Look  out  for  their  arrival  and  send  for  them  without 


88  LANGSgAtfS. 

delay.' *  *  *  *  A  second  letter  stated  that  "the  fowls  1  aril 
sending  you  are  very  fine.  Their  plumage  is  of  a  bright  glossy 
black.  I  have  never  seen  any  like  them  before,  and  I  am  told 
their  flesh  is  excellent.  The  Chinese  say  they  are  allied  to  the 
wild  turkey;  they  are  very  valuable  birds.  You  must  be  very 
careful  of  them,  and  get  them  acclimated  by  degrees." 

These  birds  we  sent  to  Major  A.  C.  Croad,  Durington  Worth- 
ing, England,  from  his  nephew,  who  was,  a  few  years  ago,  upon 
an  exploring  expedition  under  orders  from  the  English  govern- 
ment, in  the  north  of  China,  where  he  discovered  this  fine  variety 
of  fowls,  in  the  province  of  Langshan,  and  sent  home  the  first 
that  were  ever  seen  in  England. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  the  Archilles,  in  England,  Major  Croad 
lost  no  time  in  sending  for  his  birds ;  and  the  messenger,  on  his 
return,  informed  him  that  the  new  arrivals  had  received  quite  an 
ovation  in  the  docks,  people  crowding  to  have  a  look  at  them, 
asking  what  breed  they  were,  and  whether  they  were  for  sale, 
etc.  The  captain  of  the  steamer  told  him  that,  although  he  had 
been  several  times  to  china,  he  had  never  met  with  any  fowls 
like  these  before. 

The  Langshan  s  were  publicly  exhibited  the  next  year  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  and  other  leading  shows,  and  were  bred  success- 
fully for  three  or  four  years,  the  stock  being  kept  under  the 
supervision  of  the  agents  of  the  original  importer. 

They  were  of  late  years  imported  to  America,  and  our  Ameri- 
can fanciers  speak  well  of  them ;  in  fact  they  are  the  best  birds 
that  were  ever  imported  from  China.  Langshans  have  straight 
red  combs,  somewhat  larger  than  those  of  Cochins.  Their 
breast  is  full,  broad  and  round,  and  carried  well  forward,  being 
well  meated,  similar  to  the  Dorkings.  Their  body  is  round  and 
deep  like  the  Brahmas.  The  universal  color  of  the  plumage  is  a 
rich  metallic  black.  The  tail  is  long,  full  feathered,  and  of  the 
same  color  as  the  body.     The  color  of  their  legs  is  a  blue  black, 


WTANDOTTEi.  W 

with  a  purplish  tint  between  the  toes.  The  average  weight  of  a 
cockerel,  at  seven  or  eight  months,  when  fattened,  is  about  ten 
pounds;  and  a  pullet  about  eight  pounds.  Their  carriage  is  sty- 
lish and  stately. 

The  good  qualities  claimed  for  the  Langshans  are  the  follow- 
ing: They  are  hardy,  withstanding  readily  even  severest  weather. 
They  attain  maturity  quite  as  early  as  any  of  the  large  breeds. 
They  lay  large,  rich  eggs  all  the  year  round,  and  are  not  inveter  - 
ate  sitters.  Being  of  large  size,  with  white  flesh  and  skin,  thejr? 
make  an  excellent  table  fowl;  more  especially  so  on  account  o'f 
the  delicacy  of  the  flavor  which  the  flesh  possesses.  To  brieflj' 
summarize,  I  may  then  say  that  this  breed  is  worth  the  attention 
of  all.  Firstly,  because  they  come  from  a  part  of  the  world 
which  has  given  us  many  of  our  most  excellent  breeds;  and 
secondly,  because  their  popularity  is  in  the  ascendency,  and  they 
seem  to  combine  in  themselves  nearly  all  the  valuable  charac- 
teristics that  go  to  make  up  a  practically  useful  fowl. 

1  give  in  connection  with  this  article  a  wood-cut  of  a  pair  of 
Langshans,  believing  that  a  faithful  illustration  will  do  more 
to  give  an  accurate  idea  than  even  an  extended  description.  It 
will  be  observed  that,  apparently,  they  are  more  like  the  Black 
Cochin  than  any  other  breed  with  which  we  are  familiar,  but 
in  reality  they  differ  very  essentially  from  them. 


WYANDOTTES. 


This  new  breed  have  so  many  points  to  recommend  them,  both 
to  the  fancier  and  farmer,  that  they  will  surely  becotae  v*rf 


40  WTANDOTTES. 

popular.  'Kiiir  plumage  is  white,  heavily  laced,  with  black* 
the  tail  alone  being  solid  black;  the  lacing  on  the  breast 
is  peculiarly  handsome.     They  have  a  small  rose  comb,  close- 


THE  WTANDOTTES. 


fitting;  face  and  ear  lobes  bright  red.  Their  legs  are 
free  from  feathers  and  are  of  a  rich  yellow  color.*  In  shape 
they  bear  more  resemblance  to  the  Dorkings  than  any  other 


LEGHORN   FOWL.  41 

breed.  Hens  weigh  8  to  9  pounds,  cocks  9  to  10  pounds,  when 
full  grown.  They  are  very  hardy,  mature  early,  and  are  ready 
to  market  at  any  age.  Their  flesh  is  very  fine  flavored  and  close 
grained,  which,  with  their  yellow  skin,  model  shape  and  fine, 
plump  appearance,  particularly  adapts  them  for  market.  They 
are  extraordinary  layers,  surprising  every  breeder  at  the  quan- 
tity of  eggs  they  produce.  If  allowed  to  sit  they  make  most 
careful  mothers,  are  content  anywhere,  and  will  not  attempt  to 
fly  over  a  fence  four  feet  high.  Their  great  beauty  and  good 
qualities  will  make  for  them  a  host  of  friends  wherever  the  breed 
is  introduced. 


THE  LEGHORN  FOWL. 


ROSE  COMB  BROWN  LEGHORN. 


42 


LEGHORN    FOWL. 


This  abmirable  breed  of  fowls  has  become  widely  disseminated 
in  the  United  States.  They  are  valued  for  their  many  good 
qualities,  among  which  are  beauty  and  constant  laying  propensi- 
ties. 


BROWN  LEGHORN  COCK. 


They  are  very  hardy  fowls,  possessing  all  the  advantages  of 
the  Spanish  without  their  drawbacks.  Their  legs  are  bright 
yellow,  and  perfectly  free  from  feathering  on  the  shanks.  The 
faces  are  red,  the  ear  lobes  only  being  white.  The  comb  in  the 
cock  is  thin,  erect  and  evenly  serrated.  In  the  hen  it  falls  over 
like  that  of  a  Spanish  hen.  The  tail  in  the  cock  is  exceedingly 
well  furnished  with  side  sickle-feathers,  and  in  both  sexes  is 
carried  perfectly  erect.     The  birds  are   active,  good  foragers, 


LEGHORN   FOWL.  43 

jnd  have  a  very  handsome  and  sprightly  carriage.  They  are 
abundant  layers  of  full  sized  eggs,  the  hens  rarely  showing  any 
inclination  to  sit,  but  laying  the  whole  year  round,  except  during 
the  annual  month.  The  chickens  are  very  hardy;  they  feather 
quickly  and  mature  rapidly,  thus  having  the  advantage  over  the 
Spanish. 


BROWN  LEGHORN  HEN. 


These  fowls  are  exceedingly  useful  as  well  as  ornamental 
addition  to  our  stock  of  poultry;  they  are  more  valuable  to  egg- 
farmers  than  breeders  of  table  fowls,  as  they  are  but  small  eaters 
and  so  do  not  put  on  flesh  quickly.  To  people,  however,  who 
depend  on  their  poultry  bringing  them  a  constant  supply  of  eggs, 
they  are  invaluable. 


44  French  breeds, 

LEGHORN  VARIETIES. 

Black;  White;  Brown,  and  Dominique** 


LEGHORN   FOWL. 


THE  FRENCH  BREEDS. 


Crevecceurs. — These  birds  are  generally  supposed  to  be  of 
Norman  origin,  and  to  owe  their  name  to  the  little  village  of 
Crevecceurs,  not  far  from  Lisieux.   They  are  fine,  well  plumaged 


FRENCH  BREEDS.  45 

black  birds,  with  large  crests  on  their  heads,  in  the  front  of  which 
are  situated  the  two  horns,  or  spikes,  which  arise  from  the 
bifurcation  of  the  comb.  They  give  the  bird  a  very  curious 
look,  and  make  his  head  resemble  the  pictures  of  that  of  his 
Satanic  majesty.  The  birds  are  well  shaped,  with  rather  large 
legs  of  a  leaden  grey  color.  The  hens  lay  large  white  eggs, 
but  are  not  good  sitters.  The  pullets  mature  early,  and  as  they 
lay  soon,  put  on  fat  readily,  and  are  of  a  good  shape  for  table ; 
they  are,  in  dry  warm  localities,  profitable  fowls  to  keep;  they 
bear  confinement  well,  but  are  rather  difficult  to  rear,  and  have 
a  decided  tendency  to  "roup.,'  If  crossed  with  Brahmas  or 
Leghorns  they  might  probably  become  more  hardy. 


LA  FLECHE  FOWLS. 

These  birds  may  be  considered,  I  think,  the  best  of  the 
French  fowls  for  table  ;  they  are  also  more  hardy  than  the 
Crevecceurs,  and  have  more  size  and  more  style,  being 
handsome,  upstanding  birds,  in  color  jet  black,  with  rich,  me- 
tallic plumage;  their  ear  lobes  are  large  and  perfectly  white, 
their  faces  bright  red  and  free  from  feathers.  The  comb  in 
good  well-bred  birds  does  not  vary  with  the  sex,  and  is  in  the 
shape  of  a  pair  of  straight  horns;  the  leg-scales  are  lead  color, 
hard  and  firm.  The  cocks  are  tall  without  being  at  all  leggy; 
the  hens  have  large  and  rather  long  bodies,  longish  necks,  and 
thin  clean  legs.  The  best  specimens  come  from  the  North  of 
France,  though  they  are  not  even  there  easy  to  procure,  as  the 
French  do  not  go  in  for  keeping  the  different  breeds  of  fowls 
distinct,  so  it  is  hard  to  obtain  really  pure-bred  birds. 


46  FRENCH    BREEDS. 


HOUDANS. 


HOUDAN    COCK  AND  HEN. 

These  are  considered  the  best  French  fowls,  and  of  late  years 

have  become  great  favorites  with  poultry-fanciers.     They  have, 

like  the  Dorkings,  five  claws  on  each  foot ;  their  plumage  is  black 

and  white,  shaded  with  violet  and  green  ;  they  are  crested  birds, 

the  crest  turning  backwards  over  the  neck ;  their  cheeks  are  well 

feathered,  and  wattles  well  developed.     They  differ  from  other 

species  by  several   remarkable  traits,  the  head  forms  a  very 

obtuse  angle  with  the  neck,  so  that  the  beak  is  depressed  and 

t 
viewed  from  above  appears  like  a  nose.     The  flat  square  comb 

looks  like  a  fleshy   forehead;  the   cheeks  are   surrounded  with 

curling  feathers  which  resemble  whiskers;  the  reversed  corners 

of  the  beak  have  the  appearance  of  a  mouth.     The  crest  looks 

like  a  head  of  hair,  and  the  entire  visage  instantly  reminds  the 

spectator  of  a  man's  face. 


DOMESTIC   TURKEY.  47 

Houdans  are  hardy,  not  difficult  to  rear  good  steady  layers, 
but  non-sitters  ;  they  put  on  fat  readily,  and  are  very  good  table 
fowls,  flesh  excellent  and  shapely  in  form. 


THE  DOMESTIC  TURKEY. 


DOMESTIC  TURKEY. 


The  domestic  turkey  can  scarcely  be  said  to  be  divided,  like 
the  common  fowl,  into  distinct  breeds  ;  although  there  is  consi- 
derable variation  in  color,  as  well  as  in  size.     The  finest  and 


48  DOMESTIC  TURKEY. 

strongest  birds  are  those  of  a  bronzed-black ;  these  are  not  oMj 
reared  the  most  easily,  but  are  generally  the  largest,  and  fatten 
the  most  rapidly.  Some  turkeys  are  of  a  coppery  tint,  some  of  a 
delicate  fawn-color,  while  others  are  parti-colored,  grey,  and 
white,  and  some  few  of  a  pure  snow  white.  All  of  the  latter 
are  regarded  as  inferior  to  the  black,  their  color  indicating  some- 
thing like  degeneracy  of  constitution. 

To  describe  the  domestic  turkey  is  superfluous;  the  voice  of 
the  male;  the  changing  colors  of  the  skin  of  the  head  and  neck; 
his  proud  strut,  with  expanded  tail  and  lowered  wings,  jarring 
on  the  ground;  his  irascibility,  which  is  readily  excited  by  red 
or  scarlet  colors,  are  points  with  which  all  who  d*rell  in  the 
country  are  conversant. 

The  adult  turkey,  is  extremely  hardy,  and  bears  the  rigors  of 
winter  with  impunity  even  in  the  open  air;  for  during  the 
severest  weather,  flocks  will  frequently  roost  at  night  upon  the 
roof  of  a  barn,  or  the  branches  of  tall  trees,  preferring  such  an 
accommodation  to  an  indoor  roost.  The  impatience  of  restraint 
and  restlessness  of  the  turkey,  render  it  unfit  company  for  fowls 
in  their  domitory;  in  fact  the  fowl  house  is  altogether  an  im- 
proper place  for  these  large  birds,  which  require  open  sheds  and 
high  perches,  and  altogether  as  much  freedom  as  is  consistent 
with  their  safety. 

Although,  turkeys  will  roost  even  during  the  winter  months 
on  trees,  it  is  by  no  means  recommended  that  this  should  be 
allowed,  as  the  feet  of  these  birds  are  apt  to  become  frostbitten 
from  such  exposure  to  the  air  on  the  sudden  decline  of  the  tem- 
perature far  below  the  freezing  point. 

Turkeys  are  fond  of  wandering  about  pastures,  and  the  borders 
of  fields;  or  in  fact  any  place  where  they  can  find  insects,  snails, 
slugs,  etc.,  which  they  greedily  devour.  In  the  morning,  they 
should  have  a  good  supply  of  grain,  and  after  their  rerurn  from 
their  peregrinations  another  feed;  by  this  plan,  not  only  wiil  the 


DOMESTIC  TUHKET  49 

due  return  home  of  the  flock  be  insured,  but  the  birds  will  be 
kept  in  good  condition,  and  ready  at  any  time  to  be  put  upon 
fattening  diet.  Never  let  them  be  in  poor  condition — this  is  an 
axiom  in  the  treatment  of  all  poultry — it  is  difficult,  and  takes  a 
long  time,  to  bring  a  bird  into  proper  condition,  which  has  been 
previously  poorly  fed  or  half  starved. 

The  turkey  hen  is  a  steady  sitter ;  nothing  will  induce  her  to 
leave  the  nest;  indeed,  she  often  requires  to  be  removed  to  her 
food,  so  overpowering  is  her  instinctive  affection;  she  must  be 
freely  supplied  with  water  within  her  reach;  should  she  lay  any 
eggs  after  she  has  commenced  incubation,  these  should  be 
removed — it  is  proper,  therefore,  to  mark  those  which  were 
given  to  her  to  sit  upon.  The  hen  should  now  on  no  account,  be 
rashly  disturbed;  no  one  except  the  person  to  whom  she  is  accus- 
tomed, and  from  whom  she  receives  her  food,  should  be  allowed 
to  go  near  her,  and  the  eggs,  unless  circumstances  imperatively 
require  it,  should  not  be  meddled  with. 

The  hen  usually  sits  twice  in  the  year,  after  laying  from  a 
dozen  to  fifteen  or  more  eggs,  on  alternate  days,  or  two  days  in 
succession,  with  the  interval  of  one  day  afterwards,  before  each 
breeding.  She  commences  her  first  laying  in  March;  and  if  a 
second  early  laying  is  desired,  after  she  has  hatched  her  brood, 
it  is  economical  to  transfer  the  chicks  immediately  after  they 
leave  the  shell  to  another  turkey-hen  which  had  begun  to  incu- 
bate contemporaneously  with  her,  and  will  now  take  willing 
charge  of  the  two  young  families.  This,  however,  cannot  be 
viewed  as  a  benevolent  proceeding;  and  much  less  so  if  the 
mother  be  deprived  of  her  offspring,  and  the  consequent  pleas- 
ure of  rearing  them,  for  the  purpose  of  putting  a  fresh  set  of 
eggs  under  her,  which 'she  will  steadily  hatch  for  three  or  four 
weeks  more.  In  this  case,  however,  fowls'  eggs  are  usually 
given,  from  merciful  consideration  to  abridge  the  period  of  incu- 
bation from  thirty-one  to  twenty-one  days. 


50  DOMESTIC   TURKEY. 

According  to  the  size  of  the  hen,  the  season,  and  the  range 
local  temperature,  the  number  of  eggs  for  each  hatch  may  be 
stated  at  from  eleven  to  seventeen;  thirteen  is  a  fair  average 
number.  As  the  hen  lays  them,  her  eggs  should  be  immedi- 
ately removed,  and  kept  apart  until  the  time  for  sitting  them; 
else  the  awkward  bird  might  break  them  in  the  nest,  as  she 
goes  in  or  out  of  it.  While  she  is  incubating,  the  cock  bird 
should  not  be  permitted  to  approach  it,  lest  he  should  mischiev- 
ously break  the  eggs  or  disturb  the  hen. 

On  about  the  thirtieth  day,  the  chicks  leave  the  eggs;  the 
little  ones  for  some  hours  will  be  in  no  hurry  to  eat;  but  when 
they  do  begin,  supply  them  constantly  and  abundantly  with 
chopped  eggs,  shreds  of  meat  and  fat,  curd,  boiled  rice,  mixed 
with  lettuce,  and  the  green  of  onions.  Melted  mutton  suet 
poured  over  barley  or  Indian-meal  dough,  and  cut  up  when  cold 
is  an  excellent  thing.  Little  turkeys  do  not  like  their  food  to  be 
minced  much  smaller  than  they  can  swallow  it;  indolently  pre- 
ferring to  make  a  meal  at  three  or  four  mouthfuls  to  troubling 
themselves  with  the  incessant  pecking  and  scratching  in  which 
chickens  so  much  delight.  But  at  any  rate,  the  quantity  con- 
sumed costs  but  little ;  the  attention  to  supply  it  is  everything. 

As  in  the  case  of  young  fowls,  the  turkey  chicks  do  not  require 
food  for  several  hours  after  they  have  emerged  from  their  shells. 

It  is  useless  to  cram  tnem  as  some  do,  fearing  lest  they  should 
starve;  and  besides,  the  beak  is  as  yet  so  tender  that  it  runs  a 
chance  of  being  injured  by  the  process.  There  is  no  occasion 
for  alarm  if,  for  thirty  hours,  they  content  themselves  with  the 
warmth  of  their  parent  and  enjoy  her  care.  When  the  chicks 
feel  an  inclination  for  food,  it  will  soon  become  apparent  to  you 
by  their  actions,  then  feed  them  as  I  have  before  directed. 

FATTENING. 

▲bout  the  middle  of  September  or  the  first  of  October,  it  will 


DOMESTIC  TUKKET.  5* 

be  time  to  begin  to  think  of  fattening  some  of  the  earliest  broods, 
in  order  to  supply  the  markets.  A  hen  will  be  four  or  five  weeks 
in  -fatting;  a  large  cock  two  months  or  longer,  in  reaching  his 
sill  weight.  The  best  diet  is  barley  or  Indian  meal,  mixed  with 
water,  given  in  troughs  that  have  a  flat  board  over  them,  to  keep 
dirt  from  falling  in.  A  turnip  with  the  leaves  attached,  or  a 
hearted  cabbage,  may  now  and  then  be  thrown  down  to  amuse 
them.  When  they  have  arrived  at  the  desired  degree  of  fatness, 
those  which  are  not  wanted  for  immediate  use  must  have  no 
more  food  given  them  than  is  just  sufficient  to  keep  them  in 
that  state;  otherwise  the  flesh  will  become  red  and  inflamed, 
and  of  course  less  palatable  and  wholesome.  But  with  the  very 
best  management,  after  having  attained  their  acme  of  fattening, 
they  will  frequently  descend  again,  and  that  so  quickly,  and 
without  apparent  cause,  as  to  become  quite  thin.  Turkeys  fatten 
faster,  and  with  less  expense,  by  caponizing  them,  which,  also, 
produces  better  and  sweeter  flesh. 


Ml 


THE  GUINEA  FOWL. 


THE  GUINEA  FOTTL. 


Of  all  known  birds,  this,  perhaps  is  the  most  prolific  of  eggs. 
Week  after  week  and  month  after  month  see  little  or  no  inter- 
mission of  the  daily  deposit.  Even  the  process  of  moulting  is 
sometimes  insufficient  to  draw  off  the  nutriment  the  creature 
takes  to  make  feathers  instead  of  eggs.  From  their  great  apti- 
tude for  laying,  and  also  from  the  very  little  disposition  they  show 
to  sit,  it  is  believed,  that  these  birds  in  their  native  country, 
(Africa)  do  not  sit  at  all  on  their  eggs, ,  but  leave  them  to  be 
hatched  by  the  sun. 

It  is  not  every  one  who  knows  a  cock  from  a  hen  of  this 
species.  An  unerring  rule  is,  that  the  hen  alone  uses  the  call 
note  "come  back,'.'  "come  back,"  accenting  the  gecond  syllable 


©TJTWEA  FOWL.  08 

•trongly.    The  cock  has  only  the  harsh  shrill  cry  of  alarm, 
which,  however,  is  also  common  to  the  female. 

There  is  one  circumstance,  in  regard  to  the  hahits  of  the  guinea 
cock,  that  is,  he  pairs  only  with  his  mate  in  most  cases,  like  a 
partridge  or  a  pigeon.  In  the  case  where  a  guinea  cock  and  two 
hens  are  kept,  it  will  be  found,  on  close  observation,  that  though 
the  three  keep  together  so  as  to  form  one  pack,  yet  that  the  cock 
and  one  hen  will  be  unkind  and  stingy  to  the  other  unfortunate 
female,  keep  her  at  a  certain  distance,  merely  suffering  her 
society.  The  neglected  hen  will  lay  eggs,  in  appearance,  like 
those  of  the  other,  in  the  same  nest.  If  they  are  to  be  eaten,  all 
well  and  good;  but  if  a  brood  is  wanted  and  the  eggs  of  the 
despised  one  chance  to  be  taken  for  the  purpose  of  hatching,  the 
result  is  disappointment  and  addled  eggs. 

It  is  best  to  hatch  the  eggs  of  the  guinea  fowl  under  a  hen  of 
some  other  species;  a  Bantam  hen  makes  a  first  class  mother, 
being  lighter,  and  less  likely  to  injure  the  eggs  by  treading  on 
them  than  a  full  sized  fowl.  She  will  well  cover  nine  eggs,  and 
incubation  will  last  about  a  month. 

Feed  the  chicks  frequently,  five  or  six  times  a  day  is  not  too 
often,  they  have  such  extraordinary  powers  of  digestion,  and 
their  growth  is  so  rapid,  that  they  require  food  every  two  hours. 
A  check  once  received  can  never  be  recovered.  In  such  cases 
they  do  not  mope  and  pine,  for  a  day  or  two,  like  young  turkeys 
under  similar  circumstances  and  then  die ;  but  in  half  an  hour  after, 
being  in  apparent  health,  they  fall  on  their  backs,  give  a  convul- 
sive kick  or  two,  and  fall  victims  to  starvation.  Hard-boiled 
egg,  chopped  fine,  small  worms,  bread  crumbs,  chopped  meat, 
or  suet,  whatever,  in  short,  is  most  nutritious,  is  their  most 
appropriate  food, 


64 


DOMESTIC  GOOSE. 


THE  DOMESTIC  GOOSE. 


THE  DOMESTIC  GOOSE. 


With  respect  to  the  range  and  accommodation  of  geese,  they 
require  a  house  apart  from  other  fowls,  and  a  green  pasture, 
with*  a  convenient  pond  or  stream  of  water  attached.  The  house 
must  he  situated  in  a  dry  place,  for  geese  at  all  times,  are  fond 
of  a  clean,  dry  place  to  sleep  in,  however  much  they  may  like  to 
swim  in  water.  It  is  not  a  good  method  to  keep  geese  with  other 
poultry;  for  when  confined  in  the  poultry-yard,  they  hecom  every 
pugnacious,  and  will  very  much  harrass  the  hens  and  turkeys. 

In  allowing  geese  to  range  at  large,  it  is  well  to  know  that  they 
are  very  destructive  to  all  garden  and  farm  crops,  as  well  as  to 


DOMESTIC   GOOSE.  55 

young  trees,  and  must,  therefore,  be  carefully  excluded  from 
orchards  and  cultivated  fieldsi  It  is  usual  to  prevent  them  get- 
ting through  the  gaps  in  fences,  by  hanging  a  stick  or  "yoke" 
across  their  breast. 

Those  who  breed  geese,  generally  assign  one  gander  to  four  or 
five  females.  When  well  fed,  in  a  mild  climate,  geese  will  lay 
twice  or  three  times  a  year,  from  five  to  twelve  eggs  each  time, 
and  some  more,  that  is,  when  they  are  left  to  their  own  way;  but 
if  the  eggs  be  carefully  removed  as  soon  as  laid,  they  may  be 
made,  by  abundant  feeding,'  to  lay  from  twenty  to  fifty  eggs 
without  intermitting.  They  begin  to  lay  early  in  the  spring, 
usually  in  March,  and  it  may  be  known  when  an  individual  is 
about  to  lay,  by  her  carrying  about  straws  to  form  her  nest  with; 
but,  sometimes,  she  will  only  throw  them  about. 

When  a  goose  is  observed  to  keep  her  nest  longer  than  usual, 
after  laying  an  egg,  it  is  a  pretty  sure  indication  that  she  is 
desirous  of  sitting.  The  nest  for  hatching  should  be  made  of 
clean  straw,  lined  with  hay,  and  from  fourteen  to  eighteen  eggs 
will  be  as  many  as  a  large  goose  can  conveniently  cover.  She  sits 
about  one  month,  and  requires  to  have  food  and  water  placed 
near  her,  that  she  may  not  be  so  long  absent  as  to  allow  the  eggs 
to  cool.  The  most  economical  way  of  getting  a  great  number  of 
goslings,  is  to  employ  turkey  hens  to  hatch,  and  keeping  the 
goose  well  fed  she  will  continue  laying. 

Goslings  must  be  kept  from  cold  and  rain  as  much  as  pos- 
sible. Feed  them  on  barley  or  Indian  meal  or  crusts  of  bread 
soaked  in  milk. 


VARIETIES. 

African;  Toulouse;  Embden;  Egyptian;  White  Chinese;  Brown 
Chinese. 


PUCK. 


THE  DUCK. 


MUSCOVY  DUCK. 


It  is  not  in  all  situations  that  Ducks  can  be  kept  with  advan- 
tage; they  require  water  much  more,  even,  than  the  goose;  they 
are  no  grazers,  yet  they  are  hearty  feeders.  Nothing  comes 
amiss  to  them  in  the  way  of  food:  green  vegatable*;  kitchen 
scraps;  meal  of  all  sorts  made  into  a  paste;  grains;  bread;  worms; 
insects;  all  are  accepted  with  eagerness.  Their  appetite  is  not  at 
all  fastidious;  in  fact  they  eat  most  everything,  and  eat  all  they 
oan.  They  never  need  cramming,  give  them  enough,  and  they 
will  cram  themselves;  but  remember,  confinement  will  not  do 
for  them;  they  must  have  room,  and  plenty  of  it,  also  a  large 


DUCK.  5fr 

pond  or  stream,  if  you  have  these  requirements  they  can  be  kept 
at  little  expense. 

Where  they  have  much  extent  of  water  or  shrubbery  to  roam 
over,  they  should  be  looked  after  and  driven  home  at  night,  and 
provided  with  proper  houses  or  pens;  otherwise  they  are  liable 
to  lay  and  sit  abroad.  As  they  usually  lay  either  at  night,  or 
very  early  in  the  morning,  it  is  a  good  way  to  secure  their  eggs, 
to  confine  them  during  the  period  when  they  must  lay,  a  circum- 
stance easily  ascertained  by  feeling  the  vent. 


COMMON  DUCK. 


The  duck  is  not  naturally  disposed  to  incubate,  but  in  order 
to  induce  her  to  do  so,  you  may,  towards  the  end  of  the  laying, 
leave  two  or  three  eggs  in  the  nest,  taking  care  every  morning 
to  take  away  the  oldest  laid,  that  they  may  not  be  spoiled. 
When  she  shows  a  desire  to  sit,  from  eight  to  ten  eggs  may  ba 


58  DUCK. 

given  according  to  the  size  of  the  duck,  and  her  ability  to  oover 
them.  The  duck  requires  some  care  when  she  sits;  for  as  she 
cannot  go  to  her  food,  attention  must  be  paid  to  place  it  before 
her;  and  she  will  be  content  with  it,  whatever  be  its  quality;  it 
has  been  remarked  that  when  ducks  are  too  well  fed,  they  will  not 
«it  well.    The  period  of  incubation  is  about  thirty  days. 


WILD    DUCK. 


The  duck  is  apt  to  let  her  eggs  get  cold,  when  she  hatches 
and  many  thereby  are  lost,  this  together  with  the  fact  of  her 
often  leading  the  ducklings  into  the  water  immediately  after 
they  are  excluded  from  the  shell  and  thus  losing  many  if  the 
weather  is  cold,  often  induces  poultry  keepers  to  have  duck  eggs 
hatched  by  hens  or  turkey  hens;  and  being  more  assiduous  than 
ducks,  these  borrowed  mothers  take  an  affection  for  the  young, 
to  watch  over,  which  requires  great  attention  because  as  these 
are  unable  to  accompany  them  on  the  water,  for  which  they  show 
the  greatest  propensity  as  soon  as  they  are  excluded,  they  follow 
the  mother  hen  on  dry  land,  and  get  a  little  hardy  before  they 
are  allowed  to  take  to  the  water  without  any  guide. 

The  best  mode  of  rearing  ducklings  depends  very  much  upon 
the  situation  in  which  they  are  hatched.     For  the  first  month, 


&trcx.  *■  6§ 

the  confinement  of  their  mother,  under  a  coop  is  better  than  too 
much  liberty.  All  kinds  of  sopped  food,  buckwheat  flour,  Indian 
or  barley  meal  and  water  mixed  thin,  worms,  &c,  suit  them. 

"When  ducklings  have  been  hatched  under  a  common  hen,  or 
a  turkey  hen  and  have  at  last  been  allowed  to  go  into  the  water, 
it  is  necessary,  to  prevent  accidents,  to  take  care  that  such  duck- 
lings come  regularly  home  every  evening;  but  precautions  must 
be  taken  before  they  are  permitted  to  mingle  with  the  old  ducks 
lest  the  latter  ill-treat  and  kill  them,  though  ducks  are  by  no 
means  so  pugnacious  and  jealous  of  new-comers  as  common  fowls 
uniformly  are. 

VARIETIES. 

Rouen  Ducks. — The  flesh  is  abundant  and  of  good  flavor;  good 
specimens  will  dress  from  five  to  seven  pounds  each. 

Aylesbury  Ducks. —  These  are  considered  the  most  valuable 
of  the  English  breeds  and  is  well  thought  of  in  this  country. 
They  are  good  layers,  but  do  not  weigh  quite  as  much  as  the 
Rouen  breed. 

Cayuga  Ducks — These  are  the  finest  of  the  American  breeds, 
they  are  also  the  largest  and  most  valuable  of  the  duck  family. 
They  weigh  generally  from  eight  to  ten  pounds,  are  good  layers, 
and  easily  raised. 

The  other  varieties  are  the  Mandarin;  Carolina;  Muscovy;  Call 
Duck;  Black  East  India. 

The  duck  is  peculiarly  the  poor  man's  bird  (its  hardihood  ren- 
ders it  so  entirely  independant  of  that  care  which  fowls  perpet- 
ually require) ;  and  indeed  of  all  those  classes  of  persons  in  humble 
life,  who  have  sloppy  offal  of  some  sort  left  from  their  meals, 
and  who  do  not  keep  a  pig  to  consume  it.  Ducks  are  the  best 
save-waste  for  them;  even  the  refuse  of  potatoes,  or  any  other 
vegetables  will  satisfy  a  duck,  which  thankfully  accepts,  and 
with  a  degree  of  good  virtue  which  it  is  pleasant  to  contemplate, 


60  bVCK. 

swallows  whatever  is  presented  to  it,  and  very  rarely  occasions* 
trouble.  Though  fowls  must  be  provided  with  a  roof  and  a 
decent  habitation,  and  supplied  with  corn,  which  is  costly,  the 
cottage  garden  waste,  and  the  snails  and  slugs  which  are  gener- 
ated there,  with  the  kitchen  scraps  and  offal,  furnish  the  hardy 
ducks  with  the  means  of  subsistence.  And  at  night  they  require 
no  better  lodgings  than  a  nook  in  an  open  shed;  if  a  house  be 
expressly  made  for  them,  it  need  not  necessarily  be  more  than 
a  few  feet  in  height,  nor  of  better  materials  than  rough  boards 
and  clay  mortar,  a  door  being  useless,  unless  to  secure  them 
from  thieves. 


m  m   m» 


POINTS  OF  POULTE?. 


POINTS  OF  POULTRY. 

A— Neck  hackle.  5— Saddle  hackle.  C—  Tail.  D— Breast. 
1& — Upper  "Wing  coverts.  F—  Lower  Wing  coverts.  O — Pri- 
mary quills.  i£— Thighs.  J— Legs.  K—  Comb.  L — Wattles. 
Jf— Ear-lobe. 


MCTiQNAK*. 


Dictionary  of  Poultry  Terms. 

Beard. — A  bunch  of  feathers  under  the  throat  of  some  breeds, 
as  Houdans  or  Polish. 

Breed. — Any  variety  of  fowl  presenting  distinct  characteris- 
tics. 

Brood. — The  number  of  birds  hatched  at  once;  a  family  of 
young  chickens. 

Broody. — "When  the  hen  desires  to  sit  she  is  said  to  be 
broody. 

Carriage. — The  upright  attitude  or  bearing  of  a  fowl. 

Carunculated. — Having  a  fleshy  excrescence  or  protuber- 
ances, as  on  the  neck  of  a  turkey-cock. 

Chick. — A  very  young  fowl. 

Chicken. — A  name  applied  to  fowls  until  they  are  full  grown. 

Clutch. — The  eggs  placed  under  a  sitting  hen,  also  the  brood 
hatched  therefrom. 

Cockerel. — A  young  cock. 

Cock. — The  full  grown  male  bird. 

Comb. — The  crest  or  red  fleshy  tuft  growing  on  top  of  a 
fowl's  head. 

Crest. — A  top-knot  of  feathers,  as  on  the  head  of  the  Polands. 

Crop. — The  first  stomach  of  a  fowl,  through  which  the  food 
must  pass  before  the  process  of  digestion  begins. 

Deaf-ears. — Folds  of  skin  hanging  from  the  true  ears,  vary 
ing  in  color. 

Dubbing. — To  cut  off  the  comb,  wattles,  &c,  leaving  the  head 
smooth. 

Ear  Lobes. — Folds  of  skin  hanging  from  the  ears. 


DICTIONARY.  83 

Face.— The  bare   skin  extending  from  the  top  of  the  bill 
around  the  eyes. 

Flight-feathers. — The    primary  wing  feathers,    used    in 
flying. 

Fluffs. — The  downy  feathers  around  the  thighs. 

Gills. — A  term  sometimes  applied  to  the  wattles;  the  flap 
that  hangs  below  the  beak. 

Hackles. — The  peculiar  narrow  feathers  on  a  fowl's  neck. 

Hen-feathered. — A  cock,  which  owing  to  the  absence  of 
sickle  feathers  resembles  a  hen , 

Henny. — The  same  as  hen-feathered. 

Hock.— The  elbow  joint  of  the  leg. 

Keel. — The  breast  bone. 

Leo. — The  shank. 

Leo-feathers. — Feathers   growing  on  the  outside  of  the 
shank. 

Mossy. — Uncertain  marking. 

Pea-comb. — A  tripple  comb. 

Penciling. — Small  stripes  running  over  a  feather. 

Poult. — A  young  turkey. 

Primaries. — The  same  as  flight-feathers. 

Pullet.— A  young  hen. 

Rooster. — A  word  used  in  the  United  States  to  designate  the 
male  fowl;  generally  called  cock. 

Saddle. — The  posterior  of  the  back,  the  feathers  that  cover  it 
are  termed  saddle-feathers. 

Secondaries. — The  quill-feathers  of  the  wing,   which  show 
when  the  fowl  is  at  rest. 
Shank. — The  leg. 

Sickle-feathers. — The  upward  curving  feathers  of  a  cock's 
tail. 

Spangled. — Spots  on  each  feather  of  a  different  color  from 
that  of  the  ground  color  of  the  feather. 


64  DICTIONARY. 

Spur.— A  sharp  bone  protruding  from  the  heel  of  a  cock. 

Strain.— A  race  of  fowls  that  has  been  bred  for  years  un- 
mixed with  other  breeds. 

Tail-coverts. — The  curved  feathers  at  the  sides  of  the  bottom 
of  the  tail. 

Tail-feathers.— The  straight  feathers  of  the  tail. 

Thighs. — The  upper  part  of  the  shanks. 

Top-knot. — The  same  meaning  as  crest. 

Trio. — One  cock  and  two  hens. 

Vulture-hock. — Stiff  projecting  feathers  at  the  hock-joint. 

Wattles. — The  red  fleshy  excrescence  that  grows  under  the 
throat  of  a  cock  or  a  turkey. 

Wing-bar. — A  dark  line  across  the  middle  of  the  wing. 

Wing-coverts. — The  feathers  covering  the  roots  of  the  second* 
ary  quills. 


POULTRY-KEEPING. 


POULTRY-KEEPING. 


Any  person  who  takes  up  poultry-keeping  should  have  some 
end  in  view;  should  either  keep  fowls  for  showing  and  prize- 
taking,  or  for  laying  and  fattening.  Fowls  for  domestic  use  and 
fowls  for  exhibition  are  two  totally  different  things,  and  call  for 
entirely  different  methods  of  treatment. 

In  this  small  book  I  wish  to  adhere  as  much  as  possible  to  the 
business  of  poultry-keeping  on  a  small  scale  within  the  means 
of  all  people  living  in  the  country,  and  having  a  little  ground  of 
their  own. 

If  there  is  a  farm-yard  to  fall  back  on,  and  the  birds  are  not 
kept  by  themselves,  but  are  allowed  to  run  with  the  other  in- 
mates of  that  yard,  having  a  hen-house  in  which  to  roost,  lay, 
and  sit,  then  your  cares  are  reduced  to  a  minimum.  As  all  who 
might  and  should  keep  poultry,  have,  however,  no  farm,  but  only 
a  garden  and  a  plot  of  ground,  I  will  not  say  any  more  about 
the  old  farmyard  system,  but  suppose  that  the  fowls  have  to  be 
kept  on  a  small  scale  without  the  foregoing  advantages.  Much 
depends  on  the  purpose  for  which  fowls  are  kept,  if  for  show 
and  prize-taking,  or  merely  for  domestic  uses,  for  table  and  for 


If  for  show,  then  the  different  breeds  must  be  kept  thoroughly 
pure,  entirely  distinct,  and  great  attention  given  to  points 
generally.  A  higher  class  of  fowl  must  be  purchased  in  the 
first  instance;  the  diet  must  be  more  generous,  size  being  a  great 
point  with  judges;  and  the  whole  business  of  poultry-keeping  is 


(J6  POULTRY-KEEPING. 

placed  on  a  more  costly  footing,  and  becomes  an  expensive  and 
but  rarely  a  remunerative  amusement;  whereas  in  merely  keep- 
ing a  small  stock  of  fowls  for  table  use — the  first  and  original 
outlay  of  purchase  and  house-building  overcome — you  should, 
and  can  easily,  have,  with  a  little  trouble,  a  small  profit  each 
month  after  the  necessary  food  is  paid  for. 

I  have  done  both  myself:  kept  fowls  for  general  use — ordinary 
common  birds,  mostly  cross-bred — and  kept  purely-bred  birds  to 
show,  and  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  the  former  is  the 
best  plan,  unless,  of  course,  you  are  a  poultry  fancier  and  have 
money  enough  to  allow  you  to  indulge  your  mania  for  prize  birds; 
then,  with  highly-bred  stock,  you  may  look  to  the  sale  of  eggs 
and  the  taking  of  prizes  to,  in  a  measure,  recoup  you  for  your 
outlay.  I  was  fairly  successful  with  the  high-class  birds  I 
purchased,  and  got  good  prices  for  the  sitting  of  eggs  I  sold,  as 
also  for  the  birds  themselves  when  I  parted  with  them;  but  I 
cannot  honestly  say  I  consider  the  keeping  up  of  select  and  dis- 
tinct sorts  is  worth  the  trouble  it  entails — that  is,  if  you  do  the 
work  of  looking  after  them  yourself.  Mine,  I  know —  I 
could  not  afford  to  keep  a  poultry-man  —  led  me  a  sad 
dance.  I  was  always  in  trouble  with  them;  they  had  separate 
houses  and  runs,  but  unless  I  was  near  while  the  different  sorts 
were  having  their  outing  there  was  sure  to  be  some  disturbance* 
a  fight  between  the  cocks  through  the  bars  and  netting,  and  this 
very  likely  occurred  just  before  I  wanted  to  show  one  of  them, 
when  featherless  heads  and  wounded  bleeding  combs  would  be 
the  result;  and  the  hens  too  were  nearly  as  pugilistic.  Some  one 
will  probably  remark,  " Mismanagement."  Possibly;  but  I  had 
not  all  the  proper  arrangements  a  regular  prize  poultry-breeder 
would  have,  and  even  in  the  very  best  regulated  poultry-yards 
accidents  will,  we  know,  occur,  and  so  these  creatures  were  a 
perpetual  torment  to  me. 


POULTRY-KEEPING.  67 

And  when,  after  an  interval  of  some  years,  I  began  poultry- 
keeping  again,  I  started  on  an  entirely  different  plan  and  on  a 
very  small  scale.  It  is  from  my  experience  then  gained  that  I 
offer  the  following  hints  to  those  living  in  the  country  who  wish 
to  keep  poultry  and  yet  do  not  mean  to  incur  much  expense  in 
so  doing. 

For  general  use  I  would  say  do  not  keep  entirely  to  pure-bred 
birds,  but  mix  them  with  others;  a  good  cross-breed  is  often 
more  desirable  than  a  really  pure  breed;  not  only  are  the  fowls 
resulting  from  the  cross  stronger  and  less  likely  to  become  sickly 
and  degenerate,  but  you  can,  by  a  judicious  selection  in  the  cross 
you  allow,  counteract  many  of  the  qualities  you  do  not  consider 
quite  desirable. 


BEST  BREEDS  FOR  MARKET. 


I  do  not  believe  there  are  any  better  market  fowl,  all  things 
considered  than  the  Langshans,  next  comes  the  Brahmas.  The 
Dorkings  are  a  superior  table  fowl,  but  are  tender  and  hard  to 
rear. 


EGG  PRODUCERS. 


The  Black  Spanish;  Polands;  Houdans  and  Hamburgs      i*  tJl 
inveterate  layers;  but  the  Black  Spanish  and  Hamburg*  are 


68  POULTRY-KEEPING. 

rather  tender,  and  more  fit  for  the  fancier  than  for  the  practical 
man.  For  a  desirable  "all  round"  breed,  I  should  recommend 
the  Plymouth  Rocks.  At  any  rate  I  have  described  the  different 
breeds,  given  you  their  good  and  bad  points,  and  you  may  take 
your  choice. 


SORTS  FOR  SMALL  YARDS. 


If  you  have  only  a  limited  space  to  allow  for  your  birds,  do  not 
keep  too  many  at  first.  Possibly,  as  you  find  your  poultry 
answer,  you  may  wish  to  considerably  increase  your  stock,  and 
so  will  have  to  enlarge  your  premises,  which  by  that  time  you 
may  be  able  to  do;  besides,  you  will  have  gained  experience 
during  the  time  you  have  been  looking  after  a  limited  number, 
and  will  have  learned  many  things  respecting  the  nature  of  fowls, 
their  habits,  diseases,  constitutions,  and  general  characteristics, 
of  which  before  you  were  entirely  ignorant. 

My  own  opinion  is,  I  own,  entirely  against  a  very  large  poultry- 
farm.  I  should  always  prefer  having  a  small  one  under  my  own 
immediate  eye  to  possessing  a  quantity  of  birds  and  being  obliged 
to  keep  a  man  or  woman  to  look  after  them. 

If  people  want  to  lose  money  by  poultry  let  them  mass  them  in 
numbers,  and  they  will  soon  gain  the  desired  result.  If,  on  the 
contrary,  they  will  be  content  with  modest  profits,  and  patiently 
turn  over  pennies  instead  of  expecting  to  turn  over  dollars,  then 
let  them  keep  poultry  on  a  small  scale,  attend  to  them  themselevs, 


POULTRY-KEEPING.  69 

spare  no  pains  or  trouble  in  looking  after  and  thoroughly  under- 
standing the  requirements  of  their  stock,  and  they  need  not 
fear  but  that  the  result  will  be  satisfactory. 

To  buy  pens,  nests,  rent  land,  pay  a  man  to  look  after  the 
stock,  waste  money  in  sundries  and  expensive  food,  buy  useless 
items,  and  hand  over  all  trouble  to  subordinates,  is  not  the  way 
to  make  poultry  pay. 

"While,  on  the  other  hand,  to  look  after  a  little  poultry-yard 
yourself,  to  vary  the  food  by  economising  all  kitchen  refuse, 
buying  up  cargo  rice  and  second-class  grain — which  is  really 
quite  good  enough  for  fowls,  and  better  suited  to  them  than  very 
good  barley,  oats,  or  wheat — never  to  allow  food  to  be  wasted, 
nor  to  keep  an  old  and  useless  stv,ck,  is  the  way  to  insure  certain 
small  profits,  if  those  will  content  you. 

In  trying  to  grasp  too  much  you  stand  a  chance  of  losing  even 
more  than  the  original  outlay.  A  great  many  people,  who  have 
now  little  plots  of  ground  suitable  for  fowls,  but  standing  empty, 
are  deterred  from  keeping  poultry  by  the  idea  that  it  is  so  expen- 
sive a  proceeding,  and  that  they  will  eventually  be  out  of  pocket 
by  it.  So  they  will,  certainly,  if  they  commence  on  too  large  a 
scale;  but  if  they  began  with  a  dozen  or  two  dozen  fowls,  and 
and  kept  the  original  stock  down  to  that  number,  only  allowing 
the  chickens  for  killing  during  the  season,  and  pullets  for  laying 
to  swell  the  numbers  each  year,  then  we  should  hear  less  about 
poultry  expenses,  and  more  about  eggs  and  chickens. 

Now  with  regard  to  commencing  operations.  Brahmas,  Leg- 
horns, Plymouth  Rocks  and  Langshans  are  the  fowls  I  should 
keep.  Brahmas  as  winter  layers,  good  sitters,  and  good  mothers; 
Plymouth  Rocks  as  good  all  round,  and  Langshans  are  especially 
for  table. 

The  number  of  hens  I  would  allow  to  each  cock  would  be; 
Leghorns,  twelve  hens  to  each  cock;  Brahmas,  eight  hens  to  one 
cock;  Plymouth  Rocks,  six  hens  to  one  cock;  Langshans,  six 
hens  to  one  cock. 


?0  KRST  OtPKA*. 


THE  FIRST  OUTLAY. 


If  you  have  an  adaptable  outhouse,  which  can,  with  a  little 
contrivance  and  a  little  money  spent  on  it,  be  turned  into  a  fowl- 
house,  you  are  indeed  lucky,  for  you  will  then  for  a  few  dollars, 
say  fifteen  at  the  outside,  be  able  to  fit  it  with  perches  and  nests, 
and  see  to  the  flooring,  roofing  and  ventilation. 

Your  nests,  of  strong  wickerwork  or  straw,  will  not  cost  you 
more  than  25  cents  each.  You  should  have  twelve  at  first. 
You  can  easily  have  more  if  you  want  them  for  sitting  purposes, 
but  you  certainly  will  not  require  a  nest  for  each  hen.  An  old 
saucepan  for  cooking  the  food  your  kitchen  will  probably  sup- 
ply. Your  water-pans  should  be  of  common  strong  yellow 
stoneware. 

If  you  have  no  run,  you  must  inclose  one  with  wire,  and  this 
will  be  rather  expensive;  but  your  fowls,  if  they  are  to  be  kept 
in  a  certain  degree  of  confinement,  must  have  exercise,  so  a  run' 
or  yard  is  an  absolute  necessity. 

You  should  have  a  door  in  the  run,  at  one  of  the  ends  adjoin- 
ing the  house,  and  a  door  besides  in  the  house  itself,  with  an 
opening  in  it,  closed  by  a  slide,  for  the  fowls  to  go  in  and  out  as 
they  like. 

In  the  run  must  b»  the  sheltered  place  for  the  dust-bath  and 
ior  tne  "birds  to  run  under  in  case  of  rain.     {See  "Houses  am* 


FIRST  OUTLAY.  71 

Yards.")    This  inclosure  I  should  not  have  covered  at  the  top. 

The  height  of  three  rows  of  wire,  one  on  top  of  the  other — i. 
«.,  72  inches — will  be  quite  high  enough  to  prevent  heavy  birds 
getting  out  over;  and  the  Hamburghs,  who  are  by  nature  great 
roamers,  must  have  their  wings  clipped;  it  will  not  improve  their 
appearance,  but,  as  they  are  not  kept  for  showing,  that  will  not 
much  matter.  The  wire  netting  you  will  be  able  to  fix  yourself 
with  a  little  help,  unless  you  are  lone  women  in  the  house,  in 
which  case  you  will  have  to  get  some  man  who  is  clever  at  doing 
odds  and  ends  of  work  to  help  you. 

It  is  a  fatal  error  to  cramp  fowls.  Better  far  to  have  a  small 
healthy  family  of  poultry  than  a  large  sickly  one.  If  a  few  birds 
are  well  locked  after  and  made  comfortable  they  will  be  more 
likely  to  pay  than  a  number  badly  kept  and  allowed  too  little 
room. 

If  from  want  of  space  or  want  of  money  you  can  only  keep  a 
few  fowls,  do  not  be  discouraged.  A  cock  and  a  couple  or  three 
or  four  hens  will  not  eat  much,  but  on  the  principle  of  "  every 
little  helps"  the  eggs  and  two  or  three  broods  of  chickens  from 
them  in  the  year  will  be  something;  they  will  give  you  amusement 
in  looking  after  them,  and  if  you  do  not  sell  but  merely  eat  the 
eggs  and  the  chickens,  they  will  help  out  the  household  bills  and 
pay  for  the  extra  food  you  will  require ;  for  with  only  three  or 
four  birds,  household  scraps,  if  carefully  economised,  and  a  little 
grain  daily,  will  be  quite  enough  to  keep  them  healthy. 

There  are  a  great  number  of  poultry-books,  and  very  excellent 
ones  too;  but  most  of  them  are  written  with  the  object  of  instruc- 
ting would-be  poultry-keepers  in  the  method  of  keeping  a  large 
number  of  fowls,  but  few  hints  being  given  to  people  who  can 
only  afford  to  keep  a  few,  and  those  not  for  exhibition  and  show, 
but  really  for  use.  It  is,  however  just  these  small  poultry-keep- 
ers we  want  to  see  multiplied  in  America,  for  until  poultry- 
keeping  becomes  a  national  industry — which  it  cannot  unless 


72  FIRST  OUTLAY. 

taken  up  by  the  million — so  long  will  the  money  which  should 
be  kept  in  the  country  be  sent  out  of  it  for  eggs  and  chickens, 
more  particularly  for  the  former  articles. 

Poultry-farming  on  a  large  scale  has  been  tried  often  in  America, 
of  late  years  more  especially,  but  hitherto  it  has  not  proved  very 
successful;  it  does  not  do  so,  though,  in  other  countries.  When 
fowls  are  massed  they  become  unhealthy;  this  has  been  proved 
very  frequently.  It  is  not  poultry-farming  on  an  extensive  plan, 
however,  that  I  advocate,  but  general  fowl-keeping.  I  would 
wish  to  see  every  laborer  with  his  few  fowls,  making  a  little 
extra  money  by  the  eggs  and  chickens  they  produce.  To  do  this, 
however,  profitably  there  must  be  thrift,  and  in  this  valuable 
quality  I  fear  the  Americans  as  a  nation  are  found  wanting.  Our 
cooking  is  by  no  means  good  or  economical;  this  is  a  well-known 
fact.  "Where  a  French  peasant's  wife  will  set  her  husband  down 
to  appetising  food,  be  it  only  a  tasty  potage,  an  American  mecha- 
nic's wife  will  put  before  hers  ill-cooked  food  costing  far  more,  but 
less  nourishing  from  the  fact  of  its  being  so  badly  dressed.  Here 
is  a  decided  want  of  thrift.  So  in  poultry-keeping,  peasants  in 
France  keep  a  cock  and  a  few  hens  as  a  matter  of  course,  but 
feed  them  very  economically  on  household  and  garden  scraps, 
various  odds  and  ends,  and  so  make  them  not  only  pay  their 
way,  but  help  in  the  housekeeping  besides.  Unfortunately  we 
as  a  nation  do  not  care  to  trouble  over  small  matters,  or  attend 
to  the  merest  details,  as  the  French  do  ;  yet  it  is  just  this  atten- 
tion to  trifles  which  makes  poultry-keeping  on  a  small  scale  pay. 

It  is  far  better  to  attend  to  everything  yourself — in  fact,  unless 
you  have  plenty  of  money  and  can  have  an  experienced  man  or 
woman  to  look  after  your  stock,  you  must  do  so.  Leave  nothing 
undone  for  the  comfort  of  your  birds,  and  go  through  your  daily 
work  in  your  poultry-yard  regularly  and  methodically. 


BOUSES  AND  YARD*. 


HOUSES  AND  YARDS. 


If  you  have  to  build  a  fowl-house  it  need  not  be  in  any  way 
an  expensive  erection.  Let  it  be,  if  possible,  built  on  to  an 
outside  wall  of  the  house,  say  with  its  back  to  the  kitchen  or 
greenhouse,  in  such  a  position  as  to  insure  some  degree  of 
warmth  to  the  inmates.  Let  the  floor  be  dry,  the  roof  weather- 
tight,  and  the  ventilation  good,  and  your  fowls  will  be  sure  to 
do  well  in  it.  The  cheapest  material  to  make  it  of  would  be 
rough  oocvrds.  The  roof  can  also  be  boarded,  only  in  that  case  it 
should  be  covered  with  felt.  The  holes  for  ventilation  should  be 
so  placed  that  the  birds  feel  no  cold  air  on  them  while  roosting. 
Such  a  house  should  measure  at  least  eight  feet  square,  and  the 
roof  should. slope  from  about  seven  to  five  feet.  The  door  should 
lock,  and  a  trap-door  should  be  made  in  it  for  the  hens  to  go  in 
and  out  at  will:  this  trap-door  should  be  a  sliding  one,  and  easily 
closed  when  required,  at  night  being  always  kept  shut  for  fear 
of  foxes,  cats,  &c. 

Perches  should  be  round  poles,  not  less  than  four  or  five  inches 
in  diameter,  and  should  not  be  set  too  high  up — an  error  into 
which  many  people  fall.  Three  feet  from  the  ground  is  quite 
high  enough  for  the  most  elevated  perch,  and  there  should  be 
others  lower,  two  and  a  half  feet  and  two  feet  from  the  ground 

If  perches  are  too  high,  heavy  fowls  cannot  fly  up  to  them  with 
ease,  and  in  descending  are  certain  in  time  to  injure  themselves, 
bending  or  breaking  the  breastbone  and  injuring  their  feet. 

The  floor  should  not  be  of  brick,  stone,  or  wood,  but  of  beaten 


74  HOUSES  AND  YARDS. 

earth  well  battened  down  until  it  presents  a  perfectly  smooth, 
hard  surface,  which  should  be  swept  out  carefully  daily  and 
sanded  or  sprinkled  with  fine  sifted  ashes.  If,  however,  you 
have  to  build  a  house  for  your  birds,  there  being  no  outhouse 
you  can  turn  into  a  fowl-house,  then  you  might  prepare  a  floor 
of  either  chalk  battened  down  until  quite  hard,  the  ground  being 
dug  out  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  and  filled  in  with  the  chalk,  over 
which  should  be  spread  sifted  ashes  or  sand ;  or  else  fill  in  the 
space  dug  out  with  burnt  clay,  also  thoroughly  rammed  down 
and  spread  over  with  a  wet  mass  of  cinders,  fine  gravel,  quick- 
lime, and  water;  this  when  dry  forms  a  very  good  floor. 

The  nests  should  be  arranged  so  that  they  are  screened  from 
view  and  darkened,  not  placed  high  up  for  the  same  reason  as 
before  given  with  regard  to  the  perches,  and  they  should  have  a 
ledge  in  front  of  them  for  the  hen  to  step  on  before  going  into 
her  nest  or  on  leaving  it,  else  in  flying  down  eggs  are  frequently 
dragged  out  and  broken  in  the  fall;  and  if  chickens  are  hatched 
high  up  they  are  liable  to  creep  out  of  the  nest,  fall  down,  and 
die.  Soft  straw  is  the  best  lining  for  nests,  as  it  does  not  harbor 
insects  so  much  as  hay.  It  should  he  frequently  changed  unless 
hens  are  sitting,  and  then  it  is  best  not  to  disturb  the  hen,  or  she 
may  forsake  her  nest.  Nest-eggs  of  stone  or  china  are  easily 
procured,  and  should  be  kept.  Many  hens  will  not  lay  in  a  nest 
unless  there  is  an  egg  already  in  it,  and  will  forsake  a  nest  they 
have  been  laying  in  if  all  the  eggs  are  removed.  Some  people 
leave  in  the  nest  an  ordinary  egg,  but  this  plan  is  most  objection- 
able; it  imparts  to  the  nest  a  musty  smell,  and  gives  also  a  taste 
of  must  to  those  fresh  eggs  which  are  laid  in  it,  and  which, 
though  really  fresh  in  themselves,  have  thus  a  disagreeable  odor 
and  taste,  quite  leading  one  to  suppose  that  they  were  stale. 
This  is  the  reason  why  so  many  eggs  brought  to  table  have  this 
defect;  people  will  not  take  the  trouble  to  change  the  straw  jn 
the  nest  often  enough.     Besides  all  this  there  is  the  danger  of 


HOUSES  AND  YARDS.  75 

the  stale  nest  egg  breaking,  which  if  it  does,  the  nest,  and  even 
the  whole  hen-house,  will  become  offensive.  A  stone  nest-egg 
can  always  be  kept  in  a  nest,  and  if  a  hen  wants  to  sit,  a  few 
placed  under  her  form  a  good  trial  of  her  steady  sitting  powers, 
and  settle  her  on  her  nest  before  the  real  eggs  she  has  to  hatch 
out  are  placed  under  her. 

If  you  keep  more  than  one  sort  of  fowl  you  must  have  divisions 
in  your  houses.  If  it  is  built  either  against  the  kitchen  wall,  or 
back  to  some  room  in  which  there  is  in  winter  constantly  a  fire, 
the  effect  of  the  warmth  will  be  apparent  in  the  greater  number 
of  eggs  your  hens  will  lay  during  the  cold  weather.  Or  the  hen- 
house could  be  built  on  to  a  greenhouse  wall  which  is  kept 
heated  in  the  winter.  The  nests  should  be  resting  against  the 
warm  back  wall,  and  the  birds  roosting  on  the  perches  will  also 
feel  the  benefit  of  the  heat.  It  is  astonishing  how  much  fowls 
enjoy  warmth.  This  is  the  reason  why  cottager's  fowls  lay 
often  very  much  earlier  than  those  kept  by  amateurs,  because 
they  are  generally  kept  in  a  lean-to  outhouse  built  against  the 
cottage  wall  close  to  the  fireplace.  The  fowls  by  this  means  get 
the  warmth  of  the  fire,  and  in  some  cases  they  actually  roost  in 
the  kitchen.  All  poultry-keepers  could  have  their  fowl-houses 
run  up  outside  some  fireplace  or  flue,  which  would  keep  the  birds 
warm  without  the  expense  of  an  extra  fire. 

Yard  or  Run.  — If  fowls  are  not  allowed  free  range,  which  is 
not  always  possible  on  account  of  gardens  or  neighbors,  a  space 
should  be*  inclosed  for  them,  either  fenced  off  with  wooden 
pailings  or  wire  netting.  In  this  run  should  be  a  plot  of  grass, 
and  if  possible  a  shrub  or  two  for  the  birds  to  pick  insects  off. 
If  the  space  allows  of  it  there  should  be  a  small  covered  shed  in 
one  corner  for  the  fowls  to  run  under  during  the  rain,  as  fowls 
cannot  endure  damp,  and  under  this  shed  should  be  the  dust-bath. 
It  is  a  downright  necessity  for  all  birds  to  roll  or  bathe  in  the  dust. 


76  FOOD. 

They  are  very  particular  about  their  toilets.  This  may  sound  to 
some  absurd,  but  it  is  most  important.  No  fowls  will  keep  in 
health  unless  they  are  clean,  and  by  rolling  in  fine  dust  and  ashes, 
and  covering  themselves  with  them,  they  clean  themselves  and 
get  rid  of  the  fleas  and  parasites  with  which  they  are  always  more 
or  less  infested.  Fowls  that  are  allowed  their  entire  freedom 
always  make  dust-heaps  for  themselves,  and  retire  to  them 
daily. 

If  it  is  possible  to  have  a  little  running  stream  conducted 
through  this  yard  then  you  may  indeed  consider  yourself  fortu- 
nate, but  most  likely  you  will  have  to  content  yourself  with  pots 
and  pans  for  water.  Let  these  be  shallow,  and  change  the  water 
frequently.  The  question  of  coops  for  chickens  I  have  considered 
in  the  chapter  on  Hatching,  but  I  may  mention  here  that  the 
shed  in  the  yard  would  be  a  very  good  place  for  mother  hen  and 
her  family  when  the  weather  was  damp.  A  shed  need  not  be  an 
expensive  building.  A  few  rough  poles,  with  a  felt  roof,  could 
be  easily  made  by  any  one,  and  it  is  a  very  great  boon  to  fowls. 
It  need  not  be  of  any  great  size  or  height,  only  the  roof  should 
have  a  considerable  slope  for  the  rain  to  run  oflv 


FOOD. 


Overfeeding  is  as  great  a  mistake  as  underfeeding.  Three 
times  a  day  is  quite  enough  to  feed  old  fowls:  a  good  meal  in 
the  early  morning,  another  before  going  to  roost,  and  a  midday 
feed.    Many  people,  however,  only  feed  twice;  this,  if  the  fowls 


FOOD.  77 

have  a  farmyard  to  dig  and  forage  about  in,  is  enough,  but  in 
limited  space  I  should  certainly  feed  three  times,  giving  grain 
for  the  last  meal  as  more  sustaining  and  stimulating.  Chickens, 
of  course,  require  food  much  more  frequently. 

Before  I  describe  the  various  sorts  of  food  suitable  for  poultry, 
a  few  general  directions  will  be  advisable. 

Feed  regularly — that  is,  at  stated  hours — and  do  not  get  into 
the  habit  of  giving  handfuls  of  grain  in  and  out  in  the  course  of 
the  day;  if  you  do  so  you  will  spoil  the  birds'  digestion. 

A  supply  of  pure  fresh  water  is  another  absolute  necessity. 
Every  day  in  winter  the  pans  should  be  washed  out  and  filled 
with  fresh  water,  twice  a  day  in  summer  if  the  weather  is  very 
hot. 

All  poultry  like  a  change  of  diet,  and  should  on  no  account  be 
fed  day  after  day  with  the  same  food;  as  fowls  are  not  fastidious, 
but  will  eat  nearly  any  food,  there  is  no  possible  reason  why  a 
variety  of  food  should  not  be  given  them,  and  it  is  certain  they 
will  thrive  and  do  better  when  their  tastes  are  consulted  a 
little. 

Rice  is  a  cheap  food,  but  is  not  very  nutritious,  therefore 
should  be  given  mixed  with  other  foods;  it  may,  however,  be 
considered  as  an  excellent  food  for  fowls  which  are  not  kept  up 
for  show  purposes,  and  if  poultry  are  suffering  at  all  from  diarr- 
hoea should  be  at  once  given  instead  of  their  ordinary  food.  Rice, 
whenever  given,  should  be  cooked  as  the  raw  grain  is  most  inju- 
rious, and  by  swelling  in  the  crop  after  it  has  been  swallowed 
often  makes  the  fowl  "crop-bound. "  It  should  be  prepared 
thus: — Boiled  until  the  grains  are  completely  separated,  not  in 
hard  lumps,  but  easy  for  the  birds  to  pick  up  when  scattered 
about  in  the  yard;  a  piece  of  dripping  dissolved  in  the  water  in 
which  the  rice  is  boiled  has  a  wonderfully  softening  effect  on  it. 
In  winter  I  always  mix  a  little  coarse  black  pepper  with  the 
cooked  rice.    Fowls   in  cold    weather  need   stimulants;   and 


?8  FOOD.  ' 

pepper,  when  given  in  sparing  quantities,  is  very  good  for  them. 
Rice  can  often  be  purchased  very  cheaply;  many  grocers  sell 
what  they  term  "f owl-rice,"  but  if  you  are  tolerably  near  a  sea- 
port you  can  very  often  get  the  chance  of  buying  damaged 
"cargo"  rice,  which,  though  possibly  just  a  little  injured  by  sea- 
water,  is  still  excellent  food  for  poultry.  I  have  ranked  rice 
first  because  of  its  cheapness.  Of  the  different  sorts  of  corn 
barley  is  the  least  expensive,  but  it  is  too  heating  to  feed  fowls 
on  it  alone;  it  should  be  ground  into  meal,  mixed  with  water 
and  fine  bran  or  scraps,  and  given  in  a  crumbly  state,  not  too 
moist  nor  yet  too  lumpy. 

Cooked  or  prepared  food  is  good  for  all  live  stock  of  all  de- 
scriptions, for  experience  proves  it  to  be  more  nutritious  from 
the  changes  effected,  and  therefore  more  readily  digested.  One 
writer  advises  the  following  mixture: — 

One  peck  of  fine  middlings  and  half  a  peck  of  barley-meal 
placed  in  a  coarse  earthenware  pan  and  baked  for  one  hour,  then 
boiled  water  is  poured  in  and  the  whole  stirred  together  until  it 
becomes  a  crumbly  mass — or  the  baked  middlings  can  be  mixed 
with  rice,  previously  boiled — two  meals  of  this  mixture  might  be 
given  each  day,  and  one  meal  of  grain. 

Oats  are  good  for  laying  hens,  but  to  my  mind  are  best  ground; 
it  is  not  at  first  a  favorite  food  with  poultry,  but  they  soon  ac- 
quire the  taste,  and  it  is  even  more  nourishing  than  barley,  but 
also  more  expensive.  Oatmeal  is  considered  wonderfully  good 
and  fattening  diet,  and  in  Ireland  is  generally  used  for  poultry — 
that  is,  when  they  are  kept  up  for  market,  the  meal  is  mixed 
with  milk  and  mashed  potatoes.  In  oats  there  is  as  great  an 
amount  of  starch  as  in  barley,  more  flesh-forming  substance,  and 
more  fat-producing  matter. 

Light  Wheat  is  the  grain  I  prefer  for  poultry-food;  but,  alas!  it 
is  not  easy  to  procure,  though  it  is  cheap  as  far  as  price  goes. 
If  you  have  a  farmer  living  near  you  he  may  perhaps  let  you  have 


FOOD.  79 

some  as  a  favor;  but,  as  a  rule,  farmers  keep  it  for  feeding  their 
own  poultry,  and  do  not  care  to  sell  it  at  all. 

Buckwheat  and  Hempseed  are  very  good,  the  latter  to  be  given 
during  moulting,  but  they  are  too  expensive  to  be  given  fre- 
quently. 

Indian  Com  is  good  and  economical  food,  but  too  fattening  to 
be  used  much;  as  a  change,  though,  it  is  desirable;  its  usual 
cheapness,  compared  with  the  price  of  our  home-grown  grains, 
commends  it  in  some  places;  it  should  not  however,  be  given 
whole,  but  ground  into  meal  and  mixed  with  water  or  milk. 

Linseed  is  chiefly  given  to  prize  fowls  and  those  intended  for 
exhibition;  it  increases  the  secretion  of  oil,  and  makes  their 
plumage  shine  and  look  glossy. 

Potatoes  steamed  and  mashed  are  very  nourishing,  but  rather 
expensive. 

Bullock's  Liver  boiled  and  cut  up  into  small  pieces  may  be 
given  with  much  advantage  once  or  twice  a  week  to  birds  kept 
in  small  inclosures. 

Malt  is  one  of  the  best  things  for  poultry,  but  not  very  easy  to 
procure;  if,  however,  you  are  near  a  brewery  you  will  not  have 
so  much  difficulty  in  obtaining  it.  It  induces  early  and  contin- 
ued laying;  should  be  given  sparingly,  either  bruised  or  whole, 
about  two  handfuls  for  every  six  fowls;  it  can  be  mixed  with  the 
ordinary  food.  For  chickens  also  it  is  desirable,  about  one 
handful  to  every  six;  if  they  are  fledging  it  assists  them  in 
putting  on  feathers,  and  at  all  times  helps  their  growth. 

Milk  should  be  constantly  given— that  is,  where  a  cow  or  cows 
are  kept,  otherwise  perhaps  it  would  be  rather  an  expensive 
addition  to  the  cost  of  poultry-keeping;  but  if  the  food  is  wetted 
with  fresh  milk,  or  a  little  warm  milk  stirred  into  the  rice  or 
various  meals  in  use,  it  is  astonishing  how  very  much  farther 
the  food  goes,  for  it  gives  a  satisfying  property  to  it,  and  is  most 


nourishing,  especially  for  the  younger  members  of  your  fowt 
family. 

Green  food*  are  all  good,  and  should  be  given  daily:  chopped 
cabbage,  clover-heads,  turnip-tops,  lettuce,  turnips,  boiled  or 
steamed,  form  also  a  good  change  of  diet,  and  grass  fresh  cut 
from  lawns,  or  a  handful  plucked  and  thrown  into  the  yard  now 
and  then,  will  be  much  appreciated.  Fowls,  as  I  said  before, 
are  by  no  means  fastidious  in  their  tastes;  grain,  soft,  animal, 
and  green  foods  all  come  alike  to  them;  worms,  maggots,  and 
slugs  are  also  delicacies,  but  not  very  often  procurable,  though 
French  poultry-keepers  and  others  take  the  trouble  to  form 
Jieaps  of  earth,  manure,  dead  leaves,  and  so  on,  on  purpose  to 
generate  supplies  of  worms  with  which  to  feed  their  fowls. 

To  those  who  would  keep  fowls  economically,  and  yet  profi- 
tably, I  say  save  all  table  and  house  scraps.  If  you  do  not  keep 
a  pig  you  will  have  plenty  for  the  fowls:  crusts  of  bread,  stale 
pieces,  scraps  of  meat,  fish,  vegetables,  bones  broken  up,  soup 
bones,  after  they  have  been  used  and  their  goodness  extracted  b; 
boiling  down  for  stock,  yet  contain  no  small  share  of  nourish 
ment;  broken  and  pounded  till  small,  they  are  almost  necessities 
for  fowls  kept  in  partial  confinement. 

If  you  feed  fowls  on  grains  and  expensive  meals  you  cannot 
expect  a  profit  from  them;  but  if,  on  the  contrary,  you  utilize 
house-scraps — which  would  otherwise  be  wasted — and  give  green 
food,  you  will  be  a  considerable  gainer;  if  you  have  to  buy  all 
the  food,  of  course  you  will  find  poultry-keeping  rather  an  ex- 
pensive amusement  instead  of  a  paying  one. 

My  poultry  family  I  feed  in  this  fashion — that  is,  the  stock 
birds— the  chickens,  of  course,  have  more  delicate  food,  and  that 
more  frequently  given: — 

Firrt  meal,  given  about  7  a.  m. — fowls  are  early  risers— is  of 
grain,  inferior  barley,  or  wheat-tailings,  or  meal  in  a  crumbly 
state. 


FOOD.  81 

Second  meat,  midday,  of  soft  food,  pickings,  such  as  bread, 
sops,  meat  and  fish  scraps,  with  either  barley,  oats,  or  Indian 
meal  mixed  with  it,  or  else  boiled  rice,  peppered  in  winter. 

Third  meal,  before  going  to  roost,  grain.  I  vary  the  food  as 
much  as  possible,  sometimes  giving  two  meals  of  grain  and  one 
of  soft  food,  at  other  times  two  meals  of  soil;  mixture  and  one 
of  grain,  and  at  least  once  a  week  give  chopped  liver,  well  boiled 
but  fresh— not  in  the  horrible  putrid  state  some  people  suggest. 
I  could  not  fancy  eating  a  fowl  fed  on  carrion  myself,  though  I 
know  it  is  frequently  done;  but  the  flesh  on  fowls  so  fed  must, 
one  would  naturally  think,  be  gross  and  rank-tasting. 

Water  should  be  plentifully  supplied  fresh  and  pure  and  the 
pans  refilled  frequently  in  summer;  in  winter  all  water-pans 
should  be  emptied  out  at  night,  as,  if  the  water  freezes  in  them 
they  often  crack  or  break. 

Lime  and  mortar  rubbish  or  broken  oyster  shells  should  be  freely 
scattered  about  the  yards,  also  gravel  and  small  stones.  Fowls 
like  to  pick  such  things  up;  besides,  it  is  necessary  that  they  eat 
some  shell-forming  material  or  their  eggs  will  be  soft,  which  is 
very  often  the  case  if  such  substances  are  not  provided.  I  do 
not  believe  in  cooking  or  grinding  all  the  grain  foods,  and  should 
certainly  give  wheat-tailings  or  inferior  small  barley  in  its 
natural'state.  If  the  birds  could  not  digest  it  they  would  not 
have  been  provided  by  Nature  with  an  elaborate  apparatus  for 
softening  and  grinding  it.  If  we  feed  entirely  on  moist  food 
even  fowls  in  confinement,  we  must  weaken  the  action  of  the 
gizzard  by  not  giving  it  enough  work  to  do.  The  two  extremes 
of  feeding  entirely  on  cooked  and  moistened  food,  or  entirely  on 
grain  or  hard  food,  are  both  mistakes;  vary  the  food,  and  allow 
only  one  meal  of  solid  grain,  which  should  be  given  either  as 
the  first  or  last  meal,  but  do  not  so  completely  interfere  with 
Nature's  laws,  as  to  weaken  an  organ  which  is  purposely  pro- 
Tided  to   render   the  natural  food  wholesome.    By  allowing 


to  FOOD. 

plenty  of  lime  and  mortar  rubbish  in  your  yards,  small  stones, 
and  so  on,  your  fowls,  even  in  confinement,  will  be  able  to 
digest  a  small  portion  of  grain  each  day.  I  am  well  aware  that 
many  poultry-fanciers  say  cook  all  food,  but  I  am  certain  that  too 
much  moistened  food  is  not  altogether  good.  I  can  only  speak 
from  my  own  experience,  and  I  never  found  the  creatures  under 
my  care  suffer  from  eating  small  whole  uncooked  grain  once  a 
day. 

The  gizzard  is  a  most  powerful  grinding-mill,  being  composed 
of  very  thick  muscles,  and  lined  with  a  tough  insensible  coria- 
ceous membrane.  The  two  largest  muscles  which  form  the 
grinding  apparatus  are  placed  opposite  each  other,  face  to  face, 
just  like  two  millstones,  and  they  working  on  each  other  grind 
to  a  pulp  the  food  which  is  subjected  to  their  action  and  break 
it  down  until  it  is  in  a  fit  state  to  be  acted  upon  by  the  gastric 
juice,  which  softens  the  grain.  Until,  however,  it  has  gone 
through  Nature's  grinding-mill  the  gastric  juices  have  no  power 
upon  it  to  render  it  solvent.  By  giving  food  constantly  which 
does  not  require  the  action  of  this  apparatus  upon  it  to  render  it 
wholesome  we  run  the  risk  of  injuring  it  by  inaction  :  this  surely 
stands  to  reason.  In  the  case  of  chickens  even  a  little  very 
small  grain  should  be  given,  that  while  the  gizzard  is  growing 
it  may  have  something  to  act  upon,  and  no  grain  is  so  good  for 
this  purpose  as  the  tailings  of  wheat  before-mentioned. 

It  is  a  bad  practice  to  underfeed  poultry,  or,  in  fact,  any 
young  stock ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  do  not  waste  food ;  scatter  it 
for  them,  and  when  they  cease  to  run  after  it  stop  feeding  them, 
is  a  fairly  good  rule  to  go  by.  It  is  said  that  one  full-grown 
bird  will  eat  half-a-pint  of  grain  each  day,  because,  though  it 
may  not  positively  consume  that  amount  of  grain — what  with 
meal-scraps,  green  stuff,  &c. — it  consumes  food  to  about  that 
vftlu*. 


INCUBATIOJf. 


INCUBATION. 


Op  artificial  incubation  I  may  as  well  say  at  once  I  have  had 
no  experience;  therefore  it  is  a  subject  of  which  I  do  not  presume 
to  write;  but  I  cannot  think  that  it  is  at  all  adapted  to  very  small 
poultry-yards,  for  it  must  entail  primary  outlay,  endless  trouble 
and  considerable  expense.  On  large  farms  it  may  answer,  or 
with  persons  who  are  bitten  with  the  poultry  mania,  love  trying 
everything  new  that  they  hear  of,  and  have  more  money  than 
they  know  what  to  do  with  unless  they  indulge  in  some  hobby 
or  hobbies  to  help  them  in  making  away  with  it.  The  invention 
of  the  artificial  incubator  cannot  be  considered,  however,  as  a 
new  invention,  for  as  early  as  1848  Mr.  Cantelo,  manager  of  the 
Model  Poultry  Farm  at  Chiswick,  brought  out  the  "Cantelonian 
Hydro-Incubator,"  and  shortly  afterwards  Mr.  Rouillier  inven- 
ted another — an  improvement  on  the  one  named.  Since  then 
their  name  has  been  Legion. 

The  old  natural  method  of  allowing  the  hen  to  sit  on  her  eggs 
and  hatch  out  her  small  family  is  the  only  plan  of  which  I  have 
had  practical  experience,  and  as  being  an  entirely  natural  process 
I  cannot  but  think  it  the  best,  especially  for  poultry-keepers  on 
a  small  scale. 

There  are  very  many  little  matters  connected  with  eggs,  and 
hatching  them  out,  which  can  only  be  learnt  by  much  practice 
and  long  experience  of  domestic  fowls,  their  manners  and  habits, 


84  INCUBATION. 

This  can  only  be  gained  by  being  constantly  -with  them  and 
carefully  watching  them  through  all  the  various  stages  of  their 
lives. 

It  is  never  very  difficult  to  procure  a  broody  hen .  Your  Brahma 
hens  will  most  likely  be  quite  willing  to  sit,  probably  more  often 
than  you  wish  them  to.  Be  careful,  however,  not  to  put 
under  her  at  once  the  eggs  which  ydU  have  selected  for  your: 
sitting.  She  should  be  moved  in  at  night,  placed  on  a 
sitting  of  china  eggs,  and  allowed  to  sit  on  them  for  at  least 
two  days  before  you  entrust  her  with  real  eggs. 

Now  about  the  eggs  themselves.  Probably  you  have,  out  of 
your  family  of  hens,  some  that  are  better  than  the  others,  either 
in  shape  and  form,  or  more.handsomely  marked,  or  better  layers, 
or  there  is  something  or  other  about  them,  some  distinguishing 
point,  which  leads  you  to  wish  to  perpetuate  their  stock.  Their 
eggs  should,  therefore,  be  saved;  but  do  not  keep  eggs  certainly 
beyond  a  fortnight;  the  fresher  the  eggs  the  better,  I  believe. 
Those  you  set  apart  for  a  sitting  remove  directly  they  are  laid 
and  place  them  in  bran,  small  end  downwards,  dating  them  in 
ink,  and  adding  the  name  of  the  hen.  Does  this  sound  absurd? 
Possibly  to  people  who  know  little  and  care  less  about  fowls  it 
may,  but  those  who  keep  a  limited  number  I  venture  to  say 
would  have  their  original  family  of  birds  named,  either  by  names 
caused  by  some  distinguishing  mark  about  the  bird,  or  in  groups 
adhering  to  one  initial  letter. 

When  you  have  collected,  say,  thirteen  eggs,  which  is  quite 
enough  to  put  under  any  hen,  though  people  do  advise  fifteen 
for  a  large  ben — too  many  really  for  a  hen,  though  a  turkey 
would  cover  them  comfortably — thirteen  for  a  large  Brahma  hen, 
and  eleven  for  a  smaller  hen  are  the  number  I  usually  place 
under  the  hen,  and  find  them  quite  enough.  If  a  nest  is  too 
full  of  eggs  there  is  sure  to  be  an  accident:  some  eggs  get  broken 
and  the  aes-gets  foul  and  sickly;  besides,  the  hen  covers  a  «obu 


11CCTTBATI0N.  W 

pact  nest  of  eggs  much  better,  and  they  all  get  an  equal  share  of 
heat. 

All  the  eggs  placed  under  the  hen  should  be  marked  with 
their  proper  dates.     Have  the  eggs  as  near  as  possible  in  date,  so 
that  the  chicks  may  hatch  out  close  together.     A  great  advan- 
tage of  marking  the  eggs  is,  that  should  the  hen  lay  any  -when 
first  beginning  to  sit,  or  should  other  hens  gain  access  to  the  nest, 
the  fresh  eggs  laid  can  be  removed.     Mr.  James  Long,  a  great 
authority  on  poultry,  advises  that  at  the  end  often  days  the  eggs 
should  be  tested.     This  should  be  done  in  the  evening  by  the 
light  of  a  lamp,  holding  the  egg  betwixt  the  thumb  and  forefin- 
ger of  the  right  hand  in  front  of  the  flame,  and  shading  the  large 
end  with  the  base  of  the  left  hand,  the  air-chamber  is  discovered; 
this  is  apparently  opaque,  the  rest  of  the  egg  being  dark  and 
heavy,  the  two  portions  being  divided  by  a  clear  black  line — that  is, 
if  the  egg  is  fertile.     If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  egg  is  light  and 
opaque  throughout,  or,  in  other  words,  exactly  like  a  new-laid 
egg  when  held  before  the  same  light,  it  is  not  fertile.     This  little 
test  is  so  simple  that  every  one  should  adopt  it,  and  use  the  eggs 
found  unfertile,  not  returning  them  to  the  nest.     They  are  just 
as  edible  and  as  wholesome  as  eggs  laid  on  the  same  day  but  not 
placed  under  a  hen,  and  can  always  be  used  in  the  kitchen,  being 
quite  as  good  if  not  better  than  the  so-called  "cooking  eggs." 
Sometimes,  however,  these  unfertile  eggs  are  not  clear  and  edible, 
but  rotten;  this  can  generally  be  detected.     If  the  egg,  on  being 
tested  in  the  manner  described,  is  found  neither  clean  nor  fertile 
with  the  dark  line  at  the  top,  but  without  the  dark  line  and  dull 
throughout,  especially  in  the  centre,  the  whole  mass  within  the 
shell  being  in  a  movable  state,  its  condition  may  be  reasonably 
suspected  and  it  can  be  thrown  away.     This  state  may  arise  from 
one  or  more  causes;  it  is  fancied  that  it  arises  from  the  fertiliza- 
tion being  incomplete  or  weak,  wanting  sufficient  strength  to 
break  into  positive  life,  but  yet  enough  to  affect  the  rest  of  the 


S0  mcm/L*id%. 

egg,  which,  as  in  all  cases  in  which  any  life  has  existed,  <lecom» 
poses,  and  in  time  engenders  gas.  Such  eggs  should  be  buried, 
not  thrown  where  they  can  be  picked  at  by  other  birds. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  sit  two  or  more  hens  at  the  same  time;  on 
the  tenth  day  you  can  test  the  eggs,  and  remove  from  both  nests 
the  unfertile  ones  giving  one  hen  all  the  other  eggs  and  resitting 
the  other  on  a  fresh  lot  of  eggs.  Besides,  if  two  hens  sit  at  once, 
one  hen  when  they  batch  out  can  take  both  broods,  so  you  econ- 
omise your  stock  of  hens.  I  would  never  advise,  as  some  people 
do,  that  hen  No.  2  should  be  given  a  fresh  set  of  eggs  and  have  to 
sit  another  three  weeks,  for  no  hen  could  sit  six  weeks  without 
taxing  her  strength  too  much;  this  proceeding  I  look  upon  as  a 
downright  cruel  one. 

Short-legged  hens  are  the  best  for  sitting,  therefore  Brahmas 
and  Dorkings  make  very  good  "broody"  hens.  Three  weeks  is 
the  usual  time  it  takes  for  hens'  eggs  to  hatch,  but  they  may 
either  be  a  day  or  two  before  or  a  day  or  two  after  the  twenty- 
one  days. 

If  possible  have  a  sitting-house,  or  arrange  that  your  sitting 
hens  are  kept  in  a  quiet,  rather  dark  place,  away  from  the  other 
birds,  else  you  will  have  endless  trouble;  for  if  kept  in  the  same 
house  in  which  the  other  hens  lay,  they  will  be  constantly  inter- 
fering with  the  sitting  hens,  trying  to  lay  in  the  same  nests,  and 
eggs  are  sure  to  be  broken  in  the  scuffle.  Your  sitter  may  prove 
a  little  restless  in  a  fresh  place  at  first,  but  employ  china  eggs 
for  her  to  sit  on  until  she  is  disposed  to  sit  steadily,  and  she  will 
soon  settle  down,  you  will  find,  in  her  new  nest,  especially  if  she 
be  really  *  'broody' '  or  '  'cluck. ' '  And  here  it  may  be  as  well,  per- 
haps, to  say  a  few  words  about  "broody"  hens.  Sometimes  they 
are  most  tiresome,  and  very  often  this  strong  desire  to  sit,  which 
is  termed  storge,  is  so  strong  that  no  means  you  can  try  will  abate 
it.  In  such  a  case  I  should  be  tempted,  even  if  I  did  not  want 
th»  chickens,  to  let  the  poor  hen  gratify  her  desire,  and  do  as 


Hf  CUBATIOK.  W 

the  French  acowoewrs  do.  They  only  provide  broods,  but  do  not 
rear  them,  selling  their  chickens  at  twenty-four  hours  old,  and 
sending  them  to  the  fermiere  who  has  ordered  them  packed  up 
warmly  in  flannel  in  a  small  flat  basket.  Chickens,  curiously 
enough,  travel  very  well  at  that  early  age,  better  even  than  when 
they  are  older,  because  Nature  provides  them  with  nourishment 
when  they  first  hatch  out,  and  they  really  need  nothing  till  the 
next  day  but  to  be  kept  snug  and  warm.  When  they  reach  their 
destination,  which  must,  of  course,  be  within  reasonable  distance, 
they  are  given  at  night  to  a  hen  who  has  a  brood  of  chickens  of 
about  the  same  age,  who  will,  as  a  rule,  welcome  the  addition 
to  her  family  with  pleasure,  seeming  rather  to  delight  in  this 
mysterious  increase  to  her  family.  A  hen  is  always  very  proud 
of  a  large  brood,  and  I  have  often  noticed  will  apparently,  in  hen 
language,  crow  over  a  less  fortunate  mother  with  only  a  few  to 
take  care  of. 

I  once  had  a  hen  who  had  only  one  chick.  She  got  shut  away 
from  her  nest  by  accident,  and  was  kept  out  so  long  that  the 
eggs  were  spoiled  all  but  three,  and  from  these  were  hatched 
very  weakly  chicks.  Two  died  in  the  act  of  being  liberated 
from  their  shells,  and  the  result  of  the  sitting  of  thirteen  eggs 
was  one  chick,  and  that  took  a  considerable  amount  of  cosseting 
and  nursing  before  it  became  quite  strong.  It  was  most  absurd 
to  see  the  mother,  the  fuss  she  made  over  her  one  bantling.  It 
was  a  late  sitting,  and  I  had  no  other  chicks  ready  to  enlarge 
her  family.  When  the  chick  was  a  few  days  old,  her  favorite 
mode  of  carrying  it  was  on  her  back,  and  there  the  little  creature 
sat  quite  contentedly  while  the  hen  marched  about.  This  went 
on  for  months,  until  really  the  single  scion  of  the  house  of  "Raca" 
was  as  strong  as  his  mother.  But  the  affection  between  the  two 
was  too  funny.  Even  when  he  was  a  fine  handsome  cockerel, 
about  to  be  promoted  to  reign  in  the  room  of  his  father  "Raca" 
asRacall.,  or  over  another  harem,  his  mother  would   insist  on 


88  INCUBATION. 

presenting  him  with  scraps  and  dainties  she  had  picked  tip.  I 
never  knew  a  case  in  which  the  tie  of  relationship  betwixt  hen 
and  chick  lasted  so  long. 

To  return  to  the  subject  of  '  'broody' '  hens.  I  certainly  wonder 
why  here  in  America  we  do  not  adopt  French  methods  with 
regard  to  rearing  poultry.  We  spend  days,  weeks,  in  trying  to 
cure  a  hen  of  wishing  to  sit,  a  perfectly  natural  inclination,  very 
often  starving  and  really  cruelly  teasing  the  poor  thing,  while 
all  that  time  she  might  be  fulfilling  her  end  in  life,  and  sitting 
on  a  nest  full  of  eggs.  She  does  not  cost  more  while  she  is  sit- 
ting, and,  indeed,  it  is  far  more  economical  to  employ  her  than 
to  chase  the  poor  wretch  off  the  nests,  shut  her  up,  give  her  physic, 
or  otherwise  torment  her.  You  may  argue,  "Oh,  but  my  hen 
would  lay  again  soon  if  I  prevented  her  from  sitting !"  Pardon 
me,  but  the  hen  certainly  would  not  lay  under  a  month,  and  pro- 
bably not  for  six  weeks,  as  she  will  pine  at  first  and  lose  flesh  from 
the  feverish  anxiety  of  her  state,  will  be  some  time  before  she  gets 
in  condition  again,  and  very  often  two  or  three  months  will  elapse 
before  she  will  lay ;  whereas,  after  sitting,  even  if  her  chickens 
are  removed  from  her  or  she  is  only  left  with  one — perhaps  you 
feel  inclined  to  allow  her  one  or  two  after  her  trouble  of  sitting 
so  long — she  will  begin  to  lay  again  sooner  than  she  would  were 
she  laboring  under  the  storge.  If  it  is  very  late  in  the  season  you 
might  get  ducks'  eggs  and  sit  your '"broody"  hen  on  them.  Ducks 
do  better  in  cold,  inclement  weather  than  chickens>  and  when 
sold  bring  in  a  good  price.  They  cost  more  to  fat,  though,  as 
they  are  such  ravenous  feeders. 

Sitting  hens  should  have  a  daily  run.  Do  not  remove  them 
forcibly  from  their  nests,  but  let  the  door  be  open  every  day  at 
a  certain  hour  for  a  certain  time  while  you  are  about.  Perhaps 
for  the  first  day  or  two  you  may  have  to  take  them  gently  off 
their  nests  and  deposit  them  on  the  ground  outside  the  door. 
They  will  soou,  however,  learn  the  habit,  and  come  out  when 


INCUBATIOW.  89 

the  door  is  open,  eat,  drink,  have  a  dust-bath,  and  return  to 
their  nests.  That  this  should  be  a  daily  performance  is  quite 
necessary  to  their  health  and  well-being.  It  is  a  very  old  and 
mistaken  notion  to  fancy  that  the  chicks  hatch  out  better  if  the 
hen  sits  close  and  never  leaves  her  nest,  because  it  is  not  so;  air, 
food,  exercise,  and  a  roll  in  the  dust  are  necessary  to  the  hen's 
health,  and  the  eggs  will  not  come  to  any  harm. 

Some  people,  while  hens  are  off  their  nests,  damp  the  eggs 
with  lukewarm  water.  Moisture,  they  say,  is  necessary,  and  the 
chicks  gain  strength  by  the  process.  This  may  be  correct,  and, 
in  very  dry  weather,  perhaps  necessary.  Myself  I  never  fancied 
it  did  much  good,  though  I  have  tried  the  experiment;  but  I 
consider  it  is  a  mistake  to  meddle  too  much  with  nest  or  eggs; 
the  hen  is  only  made  restless  and  dissatisfied  by  so  doing,  and 
the  result  is  not  such  a  very  decidedly  good  one  as  to  be  worth 
the  extra  trouble.  "While  the  eggs  are  hatching  out  do  not 
touch  the  nests;  it  is  very  foolish  to  fuss  the  old  bird  and  make 
her  angry,  as  she  treads  on  the  eggs  in  her  fury,  and  crushes  the 
chicks  when  they  are  in  the  most  delicate  state  of  hatching — 
i.e.,  when  they  are  half  in  and  half  out  of  the  shell,  when  a 
heavy  tread  on  the  part  of  the  old  bird  is  nearly  certain  to  kill 
them. 

Picking  off  the  shell  to  help  the  imprisoned  chick  is  always  a 
more  or  less  hazardous  proceeding,  and  should  never  be  had 
recourse  to  unless  the  egg  has  been  what  is  termed  *  'billed" 
for  a  long  time,  in  which  case  the  chick  is  probably  a  weakly 
one  and  may  need  a  little  help,  which  must  be  given  with  the 
greatest  caution,  in  order  that  the  tender  membranes  of  the  skin 
shall  not  be  lacerated.  A  little  help  should  be  given  at  a  time, 
every  two  or  three  hours;  but  if  any  blood  is  perceived  stop  at 
once,  as  it  is  a  proof  that  the  chick  is  not  quite  ready  to  be  lib- 
erated. If,  on  the  contrary,  the  minute  bloodvessels  which  are 
gpread  all  over  the  interior  of  the  shell  are  bloodless,  then  you 


90  INCUBATION. 

may  be  sure  the  chick  is  in  some  way  stuck  to  the  shell  by  its 
feathers,  or  is  too  weakly  to  get  out  of  its  prison-house. 

The  old  egg  shells  should  be  removed  from  under  the  hen, 
but  do  not  take  away  her  chicks  from  her  one  by  one  as  they 
hatch  out,  as  is  very  often  advised,  for  it  only  makes  her  very 
uneasy,  and  the  natural  warmth  of  her  body  is  far  better  for 
them  at  that  stage  than  artificial  heat. 

Should  only  a  few  chicks  have  been  hatched  out  of  the  sitting, 
and  the  other  remaining  eggs  show  no  signs  of  life  when  exam- 
ined, no  sounds  of  the  little  birds  inside,  then  the  water  test 
should  be  tried.  Get  a  basin  of  warm  water,  not  really  hot, 
and  put  those  eggs  about  which  you  do  not  feel  certain  into  it. 
If  they  contain  the  chicks  they  will  float  on  top,  if  they  move 
or  dance  the  chicks  are  alive,  but  if  they  float  without  movement 
the  inmates  will  most  likely  be  dead.  If  they  (the  eggs)  are  rot- 
ten they  will  sink  to  the  bottom.  Put  the  floating  ones  back 
under  the  hen,  and  if,  on  carefully  breaking  the  others,  you  find 
the  test  is  correct  (one  puncture  will  be  sufficient  to  tell  you  this), 
bury  them  at  once. 

Chickens  should  never  be  set  free  from  their  shells  in  a  hurry, 
because  it  is  necessary  for  their  well-being  that  they  should  have 
taken  in  all  the  yolk,  for  that  serves  them  for  food  for  twenty- 
four  hours  after  they  see  the  light,  so  no  apprehension  need  be 
felt  if  they  do  not  eat  during  that  period,  if  they  seem  quite  strong, 
gain  their  feet,  and  their  little  downy  plumage  spreads  out  and 
dries  properly.  Their  best  place  is  under  the  hen  for  the  time 
named,  then  they  may  be  fed  in  the  manner  described  under  th« 
head  of  "  Management  of  Chickens," 


MANAGEMENT  OF  CHICKENS. 


MANAGEMENT  OP  CHICKENS. 


Chickens  will,  as  I  hare  already  said,  do  without  food  for  the 
first  day  and  night;  but  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  feed  they  should 
be  very  well  fed,  and  constantly.  We  all  know  the  old  saying, 
that  "Children  and  chicken  are  always  picking."  At  first  their 
food  should  be  crumbs  of  bread,  sometimes  dry,  sometimes 
soaked  in  milk,  and  the  yolk  of  hard-boiled  eggs  crumbled  up 
and  mixed  with  bread-crumbs.  This  is  quite  enough  for  the 
first  week.  Afterwards  small  grain  may  be  given,  chicken 
wheat,  or  tailings  of  wheat,  groats,  canary-seed,  a  very  little 
hempseed,  bits  of  underdone  meat  minced  small,  a  little  finely- 
chopped  green  food,  macaroni  boiled  in  milk  and  cut  into  small 
bits,  and  so  on.  They  should  be  fed  very  often,  but  only  given 
a  little  at  a  time.  I  feed  mine  eyery  two  hours  for  the  first  three 
weeks  or  so,  taking  care  that  they  only  have  just  as  much  as 
they  can  eat  at  a  time,  so  that  the  food  is  not  wasted.  Hemp- 
seed  mast  be  given  with  caution;  but  if  the  weather  is  cold  and 
damp  it  is  very  good  for  warming  the  chicks,  and  they  are  very 
fond  of  it.  Soft  food  mixed  dry  should  be  given  them  after  the 
first  week,  macaroni,  barley-meal,  or  middlings.  This  mixture 
should  be  made  with  milk,  or,  if  no  milk  is  given,  then  scalded 
water,  but  on  no  account  should  any  food  for  chickens  be  mixed 
with  water  which  has  not  been  boiled  or  scaldtd.  The  food 
should  not  be  mixed  in  a  v?et,  sloppy  mass,  but  of  such  a  con- 
sistency that  when  thrown  on  the  ground  it  will  crumble 
readily. 


$3  MANAGEMENT   OF   CHICKENS. 

The  old  hen  should  be  supplied  with  grain  (wheat),  some  of  the 
meal,  or  any  other  food  suitable  for  her  when  her  little  ones  are 
fed,  bjit  not  oats.  All  water  which  is  given  to  the  chickens 
should  be  boiled  first,  or  else  it  is  very  apt  to  give  them  diarr- 
hoea. A  very  good  drinking-pan  can  be  made  for  the  small  birds 
by  inverting  an  ordinary  flowerpot  in  its  saucer,  and  filling  the 
latter  with  water.  In  this  they  cannot  drown  themselves,  as 
they  might  in  a  deeper  pan  or  ordinary  drinking-trough.  Many 
people  give  skim-milk  instead  of  water  at  first. 

-  All  the  time  chickens  are  growing  they  should  be  well  fed.  It 
is  the  very  greatest  mistake  to  stint  any  young  stock;  and  chick- 
ens, if  you  wish  to  bring  them  on  quickly  for  market,  must"  be 
well  and  generously  fed  at  all  ages,  not  neglected  when  three- 
parts  grown,  as  is  too  often  done.  They  should  be  constantly 
supplied  with  fresh  water. 

It  is  certainly  best  to  confine  the  hen  under  a  coop  for  the  first 
month  or  so.  If  she  is  allowed  her  liberty  she  will  wander  about 
with  her  brood  in  search  of  insects,  and  so  may  expose  her  family 
to  the  attacks  of  hawks,  weasels,  or  other  vermin.  And,  besides 
this,  though  you  wish  to  feed  your  hen  well  while  with  her  brood, 
it  would  be  rather  foolish  to  allow  her  to  satisfy  her  appetite  on 
the  dainties  prepared  for  them,  which  she  naturally  will  do  un- 
less you  give  them  their  meal  where  she  cannot  reach  it,  but 
giving  her  under  her  coop  at  the  same  time  coarser  food.  Econ- 
omy points  out  that  delicate  and  expensive  food,  such  as  groats, 
boiled  eggs,  and  crumbs  of  bread,  should  be  reserved  for  the 
chicks,  while  the  hen  has  wheat  or  ordinary  food.  I  should  not 
feel  inclined  to  give  her  oats  or  barley  unbruised  for  this  reason: 
she  will,  of  course,  call  her  little  ones  joyfully  to  her  to  partake 
of  the  food  given  her,  and  they  might  choke  themselves  with 
iarge  whole  grain,  such  as  oats  or  barley.  Rice  will  not  hurt 
them  (boiled,  of  course),  nor  wheat,  which  is  a  much  smaller 


MANAGEMENT  OF  CHICKENS.  93 

0Tain,  especially  in  tailings,  than  the  other  cereals  mentioned, 
and  cannot  injure  her  little  family,  even  if  she  does  give  them 
a  grain  or  two. 

For  the  first  week  or  two  the  coop  should  be  placed  in  a  warm 
sheltered  spot,  but  taken  into  a  safe  place  at  night.  As  the 
chicks  gain  strength  it  should  be  moved  on  to  a  grass  plat.  The 
ordinary-shaped  coop,  with  a  sloping  roof  and  barred  front,  is  as 
good  a  one  as  any,  only  I  should  advise  handles,  strong  wooden 
ones,  being  fixed  to  each  side  to  facilitate  movement.  Boarded 
bottomed  coops  are  not  desirable — it  is  far  better  to  place  a  bot- 
tomless coop  on  the  ground — else  you  might  have  small  wheels 
to  your  coops  to  push  them  along  when  changing  their  place. 
In  a  case  of  emergency,  or  if  the  expensr  of  a  coop  cannot  be 
incurred,  an  old  cask  or  beer-barrel  makes  a  very  fair  coop. 
Knock  out  one  end  and  put  laths  across,  leaving  one  to  draw  in 
or  out,  and  take  out  the  staves  which  rest  on  the  ground.  The 
barrel  should  be  propped  on  each  side  to  prevent  its  moving,  and 
a  tarpaulin  must  be  provided  to  throw  over  it  at  night  to  prevent 
any  rain  soaking  in  the  knocked-out  end,  and  will  serve  as  a 
cover  for  the  opening,  which  must  be  closed,  for  fear  of  cats, 
foxes,  rats,  and  such  creatures.  Holes  for  ventilation  must  be 
drilled  in  this  cover.  I  have  reared  many  a  healthy  small  brood 
in  a  barrel  in  this  way.  It  is  easily  rolled,  too,  into  a  fresh  place, 
and  if  you  have  not  coops  enough,  and  do  not  know  where  to 
stow  your  small  families,  barrels  or  boxes  must  be  turned  to 
account. 

The  chicks  when  about  a  week  old  should  be  allowed  a  little 
liberty.  The  old  hen  might  be  turned  out  with  them  for  an 
hour  or  so  during  the  warm  part  of  the  day,  only  she  must  be 
watched  in  order  that  she  does  not  lead  them  into  mischief. 
About  this  time,  too,  their  food  should  be  changed;  less  soaked 
food  and  more  small  grain  be  given  instead — grits,  boiled  barley, 
and  other  articles  of  diet  before  advised. 


94  MANAGEMENT  OF  CHICKENS. 

Chickens  should  never  be  let  out  too  early  in  the  morning 
even  when  they  are  three  weeks  or  a  month  old,  as  it  is  certainly 
bad  for  them  to  be  about  while  the  dew  is  on  the  grass. 

The  coops  should  be  constantly  changed  about  from  place  to 
place,  but  never  allowed  to  stand  on  wet,  moist  ground.  One 
of  the  great  secrets  in  rearing  chickens  is  always  to  keep  them  dry. 
If  they  are  allowed  to  be  out  in  the  wet,  or  kept  on  damp  ground, 
they  will  soon  become  delicate.  "Gapes,'*  that  fatal  malady 
will  attack  them,  or  diarrhcaa,  or  some  other  ailment,  and  they 
will  soon  die  off. 

When  they  begin  to  feather  the  very  greatest  care  should  be 
taken  of  them,  as  this  is  a  very  critical  period.  Hempseed  and 
bread  soaked  should  be  given,  and  iron  in  their  water.  At  six 
months  they  should  be  in  full  plumage,  and  in  seven  or  eight 
months  the  pullets,  if  they  have  been  well  fed  up  to  this  time, 
will  commence  laying.  ''Tailings"  (wheat)  are  really  the  best 
grain  food  for  chickens  up  to  four  months.  After  they  first 
begin  to  eat  grain  many  people  advise  barley,  but  if  you  can  get 
wheat — which  is  not,  however,  always  easy  to  procure — I  infi- 
nitely prefer  it.    If  you  must  give  barley,  then  let  it  be  bruised. 

I  am  no  friend  to  keeping  chicks  indoors,  as  some  people  advise, 
for  I  am  convinced  it  makes  them  weakly.  Find  a  sheltered 
corner  for  the  coop,  and  move  them  into  it  even  in  cold  weather, 
only  put  the  coop  under  shelter  at  night.  Confining  them  in- 
doors, even  in  a  barn  or  a  stable,  appears  to  produce  cramp  and 
weakness  of  the  legs,  which  when  turned  out  is  not  the  case,  for 
the  best  and  surest  preventive  for  cramp  and  leg-weakness  is  to 
let  the  birds  so  affected  have  their  liberty  in  the  air,  where  they 
can  get  the  exercise  they  really  require. 

With  regard  to  the  time  for  chickens  to  be  hatched  out,  I  rear 
young  chickens  most  months  in  the  year,  but  then  my  fowl- 
house  is  in  a  sheltered  place  and  on  good  dry  soil.     If  you  sit 


MANAGEMENT  OF  CHICKENS.  95 

late  in  the  autumn,  say  in  October  or  November,  it  is  an  advan- 
tage— that  is,  if  you  are  in  a  fairly-sheltered,  warm,  dry  spot — 
for  chickens  hatched  in  December  and  January  bring  in  a  hand- 
some profit  in  the  shape  of  "spring  chickens."  There  is,  of 
course,  a  good  deal  of  risk,  and  immense  care  must  be  taken  of 
the  young  birds  during  the  cold  weather,  but  if  the  situation  is 
good  it  is  well  worth  a  trial. 

By  the  end  of  June,  or  early  in  July,  pullets  hatched  in  Decem- 
ber should,  if  they  have  been  really  well  fed,  be  commencing  to 
lay.  Your  early  chickens  will  not,  perhaps,  be  as  strong  as  those 
hatched  two  months  after,  say  in  February  and  March.  This  is 
one  reason  why  they  should  be  reared  for  table.  In  any  case  I 
should  not  breed  from  birds  hatched  in  the  coldest  winter  months; 
but  in  the  case  of  pullets,  if  I  did  not  kill  them  all  off  as  "spring 
chicks,"  fatten  and  kill  them  when  they  had  finished  laying,  and 
before  they  began  to  moult;  for  birds  hatched,  say  in  March  or 
April,  would  be  really  much  stronger,  and  "selected"  ones  for 
keeping  out  of  such  broods  be  more  to  be  depended  on  to  supply 
the  place  of  some  of  the  old  stock  if  you  mean  to  kill  any  of 
them  off. 

If  you  wish  to  fatten  "spring  chickens"  quickly  for  market, 
when  they  are  about  two  months  old  confine  them  in  coops  and 
feed  chiefly  with  moist  food.  In  my  opinion  a  fowl  allowed  its 
liberty  has  a  better  flavor  than  one  confined  and  fed  up  in  a  coop, 
but  it  certainly  does  not  put  on  flesh  so  quickly  nor  yet  get  so 
thoroughly  plump  and  tempting-looking  when  trussed  ready  for 
market,  therefore  I  should  advise  that  those  chickens  fattened 
for  sale  should  be  kept  in  coops  and  fed  up,  while  those  for  home 
use  should  be  allowed  their  liberty  until  they  were  really  wanted 
by  the  cook. 

With  regard  to  foxes,  rats,  and  such  vermin,  your  best  safe- 
guard against  them  is  to  house  all  your  stock  at  night,  and  see 
yourself  that  their  numbers  are  all  right. 


06  MANAGEMENT  OP  CHICKENS. 

Rats  must  be  waged  war  against.  They  are  the  greatest  ene- 
mies to  young  ducklings,  also  chickens.  Keep  steel  traps 
prepared,  putting  them  down  when  the  fowls  are  shut  up  for 
the  night  in  the  runs  outside,  and  baiting  them  with  cheese  or 
bits  of  meat,  only  drop  a  little  oil  of  rodium  on  the  bait.  In 
time,  if  you  will  persevere,  you  will  either  frighten  them  away  or 
else  catch  them;  but  you  must  of  course,  keep  your  traps  out  of 
the  way  of  the  fowls  themselves.  Boiling  coal  tar  poured  down 
the  holes,  and  followed  by  a  deluge  of  water,  is  said  to  be  very 
effectual  in  making  rats  desert  a  yard.  I  am  averse  to  poison, 
because,  if  it  is  used  in  a  fowl-house  or  yard,  it  is  next  to  im- 
possible to  prevent  an  accident  sooner  or  later.  Ferreting  every 
now  and  then  will  do  good,  unless  your  houses  are  adjoining 
barns  or  extensive  outhouses,  in  which  case  you  are  more  likely 
to  lose  your  ferrets  than  destroy  the  vermin.  The  holes  should 
be  carefully  stopped  with  a  mixture  of  ground  glass,  bits  of  glass 
broken  up,  and  ordinary  plaster.  Rats  will  not  often  attack 
glass  mixed  in  this  way.  If  you  do  use  poison  you  must  nail  it 
up  somewhere  out  of  reach  of  the  birds.  This  you  can  do  by 
getting  a  small  bit  of  meat,  soaking  it  with  the  poison,  and  nailing 
it  on  to  a  bit  o|  wood,  nailing  that  again  to  the  wall.  -Myself  I 
should  be  afraid  of  the  rat,  in  his  efforts  to  get  off  the  meat, 
dropping  little  bits  of  it  on  the  floor,  when  of  course  the  fowls 
would  be  the  sufferers. 

Cats  are  enemies  also.  Dogs  one  has  not  much  reason  to 
fear,  but  in  the  vicinity  of  a  town  cats  of  all  ages  and  sizes  will 
sooner  or  later  visit  you,  and  if  there  is  one  delicacy  they  prefer 
to  another  it  is  a  young  chick  or  duckling.  They  are  so  cunning 
too,  it  is  hard  to  catch  them. 

Traps  are  not  much  good.  Poisoned  fish  put  down  near  where 
you  fancy  they  get  into  the  run  is  the  only  thing;  but  of  course 
it  must  be  taken  away  without  fail  before  you  let  your  fowls 
out  of  the  house,  and  it  should  also  be  nailed  to  apiece  of  wood, 


FATTENING.  97 

which  might  be  smeared  with  oil  of  valerian — of  which  some  cats 
are  so  fond — to  make  it  even  more  attractive.  I  never  lost  any 
chicks  by  cats,  I  am  bound  to  say,  and  therefore  should  be  loath 
to  set  poison  down  for  them.  I  dread  poison  too,  as  I  have 
already  said,  in  a  fowl-yard.  One  cat  I  had  who  took  a  fancy 
to  a  young  duckling,  but  was  discovered  before  she  had  eaten  it, 
so  poor  ducky  was  tied  to  her  neck  in  such  a  position  that  she 
could  not  get  rid  of  it,  and  this  effectually  cured  her  of  killing 
ducklings  or  chicks.  A  good  hungry  half-starved  town  cat, 
however,  one  could  not  cure  by  such  means;  it  would  be  a  case 
of  "first  catch  your  cat."  But  still  cats  I  look  on  in  a  light  of 
friends,  unless  I  suffered  too  severely  from  their  attacks  I 
should  not  like  to  demolish  them  by  such  a  cruel  method  a» 


FATTENING. 


In  feeding  fowls  for  table,  or  rather  for  market — for  I  should 
never  coop  chickens  to  fat  merely  for  home  use,  as  I  have  before 
said — much  depends  on  circumstances. 

Spring  chickens  should  be  penned  for  fattening  directly  the 
hen  shows  a  desire  to  leave  them,  when  they  are,  say,  five  weeks 
old.  They  will  not  then  have  lost  their  first  plump  condition, 
and  will  soon,  if  well  fed,  increase  rapidly  in  weight.  They 
are  not  required  to  be  very  large;  indeed,  if  fatted  too  long  buy- 
ers would  fancy  they  were  not  really  "spring  chickens,' '  which 
frequently  make  their  appearance  at  table  not  much  larger  than 


$6  FATTENING. 

blackbirds,  and  are  then  considered  all  the  greater  delicacy. 

If  your  chickens  were  hatched  out  in  December,  early  in  Feb- 
ruary you  can  put  them  up  to  fat."  Their  coops  or  cages  should 
be  placed  in  a  warm  dark  sheltered  place.  There  are  a  variety 
of  different  coops  or  pens  recommended  by  different  authorities 
on  poultry  to  fat  chickens.  I  do  not  remember  to  have  seen  one, 
however,  which  is,  to  my  mind  so  suited  to  the  purpose  as  this 
of  which  I  give  a  description. 

As  far  as  the  general  conformation  of  the  coop  goes,  it  is  made 
on  the  same  plan  as  many  others;  but  the  adaptable  shelf  which 
is  its  chief  feature  is  entirely  my  own  idea,  and  if  adopted  would, 
I  feel  sure,  give  general  satisfaction. 

The  coop  itself  is  made  of  boards,  sides,  back,  and  ends  of 
front;  centre  of  front  is  barred,  with  the  two  middle  bars  mov- 
able. It  stands  on  legs  between  two  and  three  feet  in  height, 
the  roof  sloped  sufficient  to  allow  the  rain  to  run  easily  off. 
To  hold  four  chickens  at  the  same  time  the  coop  should  be 
about  five  feet  in  length,  four  in  breadth,  and  three  in  height— 
that  is,  above  the  legs  on  which  it  stands.  If  the  birds  are  kept 
in  separate  divisions  then  a  little  more  length  will  have  to  be 
allowed  for  the  partitions.  This  will  give  ample  room  for  the 
birds  without  uncomfortably  cramping  them. 

The  bars  in  front  of  the  coop  should  be  wide  enough  apart  to 
allow  the  birds  to  get  their  heads  through  easily  to  get  at 
their  food,  which  should  be  given  them  on  a  shelf  or  board. 
The  shelf,  when  not  in  use,  being  fixed  on  hinges,  would  fold 
down  in  front  of  the  coop.  This  is  a  much  better  plan  than 
having  a  trough  for  food  fixed  outside,  as  so  many  coops  have, 
the  objection  to  it  being  that  the  food  soon  gets  sour — I  mean 
what  is  left  after  the  birds  have  fed— sticking  to  the  sides  of  the 
trough,  which,  if  it  is  a  box-like  fixture,  it  is  next  to  impossible 
to  clean  properly. 

The  shelf  should  have  an  upright  lath  nailed  to  it  to  prevent 


FATTENING.  Of 

the  chickens  pushing  the  food  beyond  their  reach  in  efforts  to 
get  at  it,  but  the  ledge  should  not  be  so  deep  as  to  interfere  with 
the  shelf  closing  against  the  front  of  tho  coop.  Between  this 
ledge  and  the  coop  should  fit  a  zinc  trough,  the  width  of  the 
division,  for  water. 

When  food  is  put  down  this  water-trough  should  be  slipped  out, 
to  be  replaced  when  the  meal  is  over.  Two  small  wooden  sup- 
ports would  prop  up  this  miniature  table;  on  the  same  plan  an 
extra  shelf  is  made  to  enlarge  an  ordinary  table.  A  further  use 
of  this  flat  board  would  be  to  close  up  the  front  of  the  coop  at 
night.  It  should  not  close  entirely  the  barred  space,  room  being 
left  at  the  top  for  ventilation.  Water  not  being  required  at 
night,  the  zinc  trough  should  be  removed  to  allow  of  the  shelf 
being  closed,  while  the  wooden  buttons  would  keep  it  firmly  in 
its  place,  the  small  holes  at  the  side  of  the  coop  supplying  the 
extra  ventilation  necessary. 

With  regard  to  sanitary  arrangements,  before  the  birds  are 
put  into  the  coop  it  should  be  thoroughly  washed  with  a  mix- 
ture of  lime  and  size,  to  destroy  all  vermin.  This  dries  quite 
hard  and  does  not  rub  off.  If  a  white  wash  is  objected  to  in  a 
feeding-pen,  then  it  could  be  darkened  by  the  admixture  of  color, 
only  see  that  there  is  no  lead  in  the  color  mixed  with  the  wash 
to  procure  the  darker  shade.  The  partially-boarded  front  will 
prevent  the  coop  being  too  light. 

The  floor  should  be  first  of  all  of  flat  bars  placed  length- wise — 
fixtures  these — and  over  them  should  slip  in,  from  the  back  of 
the  coop,  a  movable  board,  which  should  be  drawn  out  every 
day  and  thoroughly  scraped  and  sanded,  but  not  washed,  because 
if  not  thoroughly  dry  when  put  in  the  birds  would  get  a  chill,  and 
very  likely  suffer  from  diarrhoea  in  consequence. 

If  after  a  meal  there  is  any  food  remaining,  let  down  the  shelf 
and  brush  it  off,  giving  it  to  the  other  fowls  in  order  not  to 
waste  it.     Food  should  never  be  allowed  to  remain  in  the  sight 


100  FATTKNIHG. 

of  fattening  fowls,  or  they  will  lose  appetite.  If  they  are  only 
fed  at  stated  times,  and  when  they  have  eaten  as  much  as  they 
require  the  board  is  carefully  cleaned  and  the  water-trough 
replaced  in  the  niche,  the  birds  will  feed  again,  when  the  time 
comes  round  for  their  food,  with  eagerness,  which  will  not  be  the 
case  if  the  food  is  left  there  for  them  to  peck  at. 

I  have  had  plenty  of  experience  with  fowls,  having  reared  them 
for  show,  for  eggs,  and  for  table,  and  have  therefore  no  hesita- 
tion in  recommending  my  "adaptable  shelf,"  as  I  feel  certain  it 
is  an  addition  of  the  greatest  use  to  an  ordinary  feeding-coop. 
It  adds  very  little  to  the  expense,  is  so  simple  that  any  carpenter 
could  easily  make  it  from  a  plain  drawing,  avoids  waste  of  food, 
and  insures  cleanliness.  As  soft  food  is  mostly  used  in  fatting 
chickens,  it  is  all  the  more  necessary  that  none  of  it  should  be 
allowed  to  remain  after  the  meal  to  turn  sour,  disagree  with  the 
birds,  and  take  away  their  appetite.  In  a  trough  it  is  hardly 
possible  to  prevent  a  little  lodging  in  the  corners  and  sides,  as  if 
the  trough  is  a  fixture  it  cannot  be  removed  to  be  washed;  on  a 
shelf  remains  of  food  need  never  be  left,  as  the  application  of  a 
hard  brush  for  a  few  minutes  would  remove  every  particle,  a 
little  sand  being  afterwards  sprinkled  lightly  over  the  board 
to  render  it  perfectly  sweet  before  the  water-trough  is  slipped 
in. 

Water  should  be  constantly  changed,  and  boiled  water  should 
be  always  used  instead  of  that  just  pumped  or  drawn  from  a 
well  or  spring,  as  this  will  prevent  the  chickens  getting  diarr- 
hoea. 

You  should  have  some  plan  of  darkening  your  pens,  either 
by  letting  down  a  tarpaulin  over  the  top  or  having  sliding 
boards  to  run  in  and  out,  so  that  the  light  can  be  regulated  at 
will. 

Some  people  keep  their  chickens  separately,  having  their  pens 
divided.    I  do  not  think  this  is  really  necessary  if  you  choose 


FATTENING.  101 

shickens  of  the  same  brood  to  fat  together.  Four  are  enough 
to  fat  at  a  time;  but  never  allow  your  coop,  if  you  have  only 
one,  to  remain  empty;  as  you  kill  off  one  lot  of  chickens  you 
should  have  another  batch  ready  to  put  in.  Cramming  I  am 
entirely  averse  to.  It  is  a  needlessly  cruel  and  disgusting 
custom,  though  very  frequently  practiced,  especially  in 
France. 

Now  comes  the  grand  question  of  food.  It  should  always  be 
pultaceous;  the  birds  cannot  pick  up  pebbles  and  little  stones 
when  shut  up,  so  cannot,  digest  grain  of  any  sort.  Feed  them 
on  bread  and  milk,  oatmeal  and  milk,  rice  well  boiled  with  a 
little  pepper  mixed  with  it,  barley-meal,  Indian  com  meal,  pota- 
toes steamed  and  mixed  with  barley-meal,  chopped  green  food, 
&c.  Very  many  breeders  give  a  large  amount  of  suet  mixed 
with  the  food,  but  unless  people  are  fond  of  greasy  fat  on  their 
poultry,  which  to  me  is  an  abomination,  I  should  not  advise  it, 
as  it  makes  the  flesh  so  gross.  Vary  the  diet  as  much  as  possibU, 
dd  never  give  it  in  a  sloppy  state,  but  crumbly.  Three  weeks 
|r  a  month  at  the  outside  is  enough  to  keep  fowls  up  for  fatting:  if 
kept  longer  the  confinement  begins  to  tell  on  them.  Some  peo- 
ple mix  treacle  or  sugar  with  their  food.  Saccharine  matter  is 
no  doubt  conducive  to  fat,  and  oatmeal,  or  Indian  corn  ground 
into  meal  and  mixed  with  treacle  until  it  is  in  a  crumbling  state, 
is  a  food  all  chickens  are  fond  of,  but  should  only  be  given  to 
those  you  wish  to  feed;  it  would  not  do  for  those  pullets  you 
wish  to  bring  on  to  lay  quickly,  as  it  would  develop  interior  fat, 
which  is  always  fatal  to  constant  laying. 

Guard  against  waste  of  food.  Only  experience  will  cause  you 
to  know  how  much  to  supply  at  once;  and  until  you  learn  this, 
directly  you  see  the  chickens  begin  to  pick  daintily  at  their  food 
remove  it,  give  to  the  other  fowls  then  what  is  left,  but  on  no 
account  allow  it  to  stay  in  the  trough  for  the  fatting  chickens  t* 
eat,  when,  as  the  old  women  say,  "they've  a  mind  to."    If  tbtf 


102  FATTENING. 

do  not  constantly  see  food  before  them  they  will  eat  it  far  more 
readily  when  it  is  given.  This  is  only  common-sense  treatment, 
and,  believe  me,  in  dealing  with  fowls  you  must  often  draw 
largely  on  this  very  desirable  commodity. 

Four  meals  a  day  should  be  the  allowance  for  penned-up  chick- 
ens, letting  them  eat,  each  time  you  feed,  as  much  as  they  will 
with  appetite.  At  night  they  will  roost  on  the  board.  Some 
people  put  down  clean  straw,  but  if  you  close  up  the  pen  so  that 
the  birds  are  not  cold  it  is  not  really  necessary,  and  it  only  har- 
bours insects.  Perches  you  might  have  if  you've  room  in  your 
pen — sufficient  height  I  mean.  Before  the  birds  are  put  in  have 
the  coop  well  cleaned,  white-washed,  and  sprinkled  with  car- 
bolic acid.  This  should  be  done  two  or  three  times  during  the 
time  the  chicks  are  fattening. 

Fowls  should  of  course  be  killed  in  the  most  merciful  way. 
It  makes  one  shudder  to  read  of  the  manner  in  which  the  poor 
things  are  sometimes  tortured,  allowed  to  bleed  slowly  to  death, 
pins  run  into  their  brains,  and  horrors  too  dreadful  to  name. 
Poultry  dealers  generally  kill  them  in  the  quickest  manner  by 
breaking  their  necks,  and  so  quickly  do  they  perform  their 
work  that  one  man  will  often  kill  and  pick  a  dozen,  or  more 
in  an  hour.  One  of  the  easiest  ways  of  killing  is  to  hit  the  bird 
a  sharp  blow  on  the  back  of  the  head  with  a  heavy  blunt  stick; 
death  is  almost  instantaneous.  Then  pluck  at  once  while  the 
bird  is  warm,  as  the  process  can  then  be  accomplished  much 
more  rapidly  than  if  the  bird  is  allowed  to  hang  until  cold. 
"When  all  the  feathers  are  off  the  fowl  will  still  be  warm.  It 
should  then  be  carefully  singed,  floured,  and  trussed,  and  placed 
between  two  boards  with  a  weight,  on  the  topmost;  not  too  heavy 
a  weight,  of  course,  to  spoil  its  shape,  but  just  enough  to  keep 
the  breast  down  and  in  good  shape. 

Capons  of  course  fetch  much  better  prices,  and  their  flesh 
remains  tender  up  to  the  age  of  two  years,  whereas  a  cock  at 


FATTENIHG.  108 

that  age  is  only  eatable  in  a  stew,  or  pie.  Chickens  converted 
into  capons  increase  in  size  to  a  wonderful  extent;  the  birds  will 
in  a  year  be  nearly  treble  the  size  it  would  have  been  if  left 
alone,  and  double  the  market  value. 

In  conclusion  I  may  observe  that  I  can  most  sincerely,  from  my 
own  practical  experience,  advise  all  ladies,  as  well  as  gentlemen, 
who  have  a  little  room  to  spare  in  their  back  gardens,  to  set  up 
poultry-keeping  on  a  small  scale.  Many  more  people  keep 
fowls  now  than  used  to  years  ago,  I  know,  but  still  not  half 
people  enough.  Many  who  have  room  to  spare  for  a  family  of 
fowls  let  that  room  remain  unoccupied,  either  from  a  mistaken 
idea  that  poultry-keeping  is  too  expensive  or  will  entail  too  much 
trouble  on  them.  With  regard  to  the  latter  idea,  it  is,  no  doubt, 
a  partially  true  one.  Fowls  do  cause  trouble,  and  if  they  are  to  be 
made  to  pay  their  way  cannot  fail  to  do  so.  But  whatever  trouble 
they  cause  they  are  worth  it,  and  no  undertaking  or  pursuit  that  I 
ever  heard  of  nourished  without  some  amount  of  trouble.  In 
return  they  give  fresh  eggs — that  you  are  sure  of,  and  can  offer 
a  guest  without  any  inward  misgivings — plump  chickens,  a  littUi 
pocket-money,  and  a  great  deal  of  interest. 


PART   II. 

»  ♦» 

Diseases  of  Poultry. 
ARTIFICIAL  INCUBATION. 

Miscellaneous  Poultry  Receipts. 


DISEASES  OF  POULTRY. 


There  are  very  many  diseases  which  attack  domestic  fowls, 
the  chief  being 

Roup,  or  Glanders. 

Cholera. 

Diarrhoea. 

Indigestion. 

Leg-weakness. 

Gapes. 

Gout. 

Asthma. 

Megrims. 

Apoplexy. 

Bad  feathering. 

Moulting. 

While  among  the  less   frequent  ailments  may  be  classed  the 
following : 

Crop-bound . 

Egg-bound. 

Mange. 

Oon-lush,  or  soft  eggs. 

Dropsy. 


4  DISEASES. 

Torpid-Gizzard. 

Pip. 

Influenza. 

Inflammation  of  mucous  membrane. 

Paralysis. 

Phthisis. 

Rheumatism. 

Cramp. 
And  besides  all  these  ills  to  which  fowl-flesh  is  heir  must  be 
named  the  various  accidents  to  which  birds  are  liable,  and  ex- 
ternal ailments ;  for  example : — 

Bruises. 

Fractures. 

Obstruction  of  rump-gland. 

Corns. 

Uloers. 

Elephantiasis. 

Bumble-foot. 

White  comb. 

Vermin. 

A  sufficiently  long  catalogue  certainly;  but  happily,  though 
this  list  of  diseases,  &c,  may  seem  formidable,  if  fowls  are 
really  well  attended  to  and  have  their  general  health  decently 
cared  for  they  do  not  often  develop  disease,  and  there  is  always 
the  one  best  remedy  for  a  sickly  fowl,  which  is,  to  kill  it.  In 
writing  thus,  I  trust  I  shall  not  be  thought  cruel.  In  reality  it 
is  far  more  human  to  kill  a  bird  at  once  that  is  severely  injured 
or  develops  an  incurable  disease.  In  the  former  case  the 'poor 
thing  is  put  quickly  out  of  its  misery  and  suffering ;  in  the 
latter  the  other  fowls  run  the  risk  of  catching  the  disease,  and 
as  many  fowl  diseases  are  infectious  or  contagious,  this  is  a 
matter  for  consideration. 

Myself  I  never  keep  fowls — that  is,  ordinary  birds — if  they 


DISEASES.  5 

seem  sickly,  but  hare  them  killed  at  once.  If  they  are  valuable 
prize  or  stock  birds,  then  I  try  physic.  Unless  in  the  case  of 
really  valuable  birds,  it  is  very  poor  economy  to  keep  unhealthy 
ones. 

Chickens  should  never  be  reared  from  weakly  parent  birds  for 
it  only  causes  disappointment,  degenerates  the  breeds,  and  lessens 
the  gain  on  poultry-keeping.  Take  care,  therefore,  to  have  your 
stock  healthy,  and  raise  chickens  only  from  really  strong  well- 
formed  birds,  free  even  from  accidental  blemishes.  Feed  judi- 
ciously both  young  and  old  birds.  Keep  your  houses  and  yards 
perfectly  clean.  Sometimes  change  the  run  on  to  grass  if  possi- 
ble, if  fowls  are  not  at  liberty,  or  turn  them  into  a  field  or  mea- 
dow for  a  few  hours  every  now  and  then.  Let  them  have 
plenty  of  gravel  and  lime,  dust  baths,  and  perfectly  fresh  water 
every  day,  in  the  summer  twice.  Do  not  have  too  many  chickens 
at  once,  or  you  will  not  be  able  to  attend  to  them  properly.  Al- 
ways keep  your  stock  of  old  birds  up  to  a  certain  number,  as  it 
simplifies  matters,  and  you  can  reckon  better  the  amount  of 
food  they  require  and  what  they  really  cost  you.  Never  keep 
birds  after  they  have  passed  their  prime,  because  if  you  do  the 
profit  side  of  your  poultry  book  will  assuredly  be  an  unsat- 
isfactory study. 

If  you  attend  to  these  various  necessary  precautions,  which  I 
give  as  the  result  of  my  own  personal  experience,  you  will  not 
be  very  likely  to  require  to  doctor  your  birds.  A  knowledge, 
however,  of  the  symptoms  of  the  various  diseases  and  the  best 
accepted  method  of  treating  them  is  necessary,  even  should  you 
not  require  to  practice  that  knowledge,  therefore  I  have  enum- 
erated the  different  maladies,  and  as  far  as  possible  their  proper 
treatment. 


KOUP. 


ROUP. 


Roup  is  contagious.  Symptoms:  Hoarseness  and  catching  the 
breath.  If  very  bad,  a  discharge  from  eyes  and  nostrils.  Treat- 
ment: Give  a  tablespoonful  of  castor-oil  on  perceiving  the  very 
first  appearance  of  the  disease;  take  the  scale  off  the  tongue 
with  your  nail;  give  soft  food  only  and  doses  of  castor-oil. 
Wash  each  morning  and  evening  the  eyes,  nostrils,  and  inside  of 
the  mouth  with  vinegar,  and  give  sulphate  of  iron  either  in  pills 
mixed  with  cayenne  pepper  and  butter  or  else  put  the  powder  in 
the  water  they  drink.  Keep  the  bird  or  birds  so  affected  away 
from  the  other  fowls,  or  you  will  have  the  disease  communicated 
to  your  whole  stock. 

The  very  first  symptoms  are  swollen  eyes,  then  a  discharge 
from  the  nostrils,  first  clear,  but  soon  changing  to  thick,  offen- 
sive matter.  Water  also  is  discharged  from  the  mouth.  Di- 
rectly you  preceive  any  such  symptoms  remove  the  bird  from 
the  others  into  a  warm  but  well- ventilated  place,  and  then  treat 
as  I  have  advised.  Ducks  and  geese  also  suffer  from  roup,  and 
frequently  die  off  very  rapidly  from  it, 

Mr.  James  Long,  in  his  excellent  and  valuable  book  on  poul- 
try, says  that  a  "solution  of  chlorinated  soda  or  carbolic  acid, 
the  latter  in  the  proportion  of  1  to  60,"  should  be  used  to  clear 
the  mouth,  eyes,  and  nostrils  of  birds  suffering  from  roup.  "In 
bad  cases,"  he  writes,  "I  have  found  that  an  injection  of  the 
soda  through  the  slit  in  the  palate  has  proved  most  advantageous, 
this  being  the  only  solution  I  know  that  will  really  dissolve  the 


CHICKEN  CHOLERA.  7 

pus.  The  injector  must  suitable  may  be  purchased  at  any  che- 
mist's, where  it  is  sold  under  the  form  of  ca  cure  for  toothache .' 
It  is  a  small  glass  tube  bent  at  the  small  end,  the  large  end  be- 
ing fitted  with  an  india-rubber  bag  which  contains  the  nostrum. 
This  should  be  squeezed  out  and  the  soda  drawn  in  as  often  as 
required  by  the  suction  of  the  empty  bag."  The  following  re- 
ceipt for  roup  is  a  very  good  one: — "  Sweet  oil  1  oz.,  camphor 
1  drachm,  carbolic  acid  YZ  drops.  Pulverize  the  camphor  in  a 
mortar  with  a  little  ether.  Applying  with  the  glass  tube  twice 
daily,  injecting  the  mixture  into  the  nostrils,  mouth,  and  through 
the  roof.  During  the  illness  cod-liver  oil  capsules  will  be  found 
strengthening." 


CHICKEN  CHOLERA. 


This  disease  is  much  to  be  dreaded  by  all  who  keep  poultry. 
The  causes  of  it  are  uncertain,  although  the  crowding  of  fowls  in 
a  small  space,  unwholesome  or  irregular  food  and  keeping  them 
on  swampy  land  is  supposed  to  originate  the  epidemic. 

Symptoms:  The  fowl  droops,  is  weak  and  much  prostrated, 
and  the  feathers  present  a  rumpled  appearance.  Diarrhoea  at 
first  very  light,  increasing  in  severity  and  of  a  green  color.  Food 
is  refused,  and  if  the  disease  is  not  promptly  arrested,  it  spreads 
among  the  flock  and  death  ensues  on  all  sides. 

Remedy:  Fresh  green  food  daily;  powdered  alum  mixed  with 
meal  about  one  teaspoonful  to  a  quart  of  meal.  If  an  improve- 
ment is  not  noticeable  in  a  short  time  give  each  fowl  a  half  tea- 
spoonful  of  castor-oil  and  ten  drops  of  laudanum. 


8  £>IAiUtH<BA. 

After  the  disease  has  been  arrested  spade  up  the  grounds,  dis- 
infect with  carbolic  acid,  whitewash  and  let  lime  lay  around 
the  yards  and  runs,  prevent  the  fowls  from  drinking  anything 
but  pure  clean  water  and  feed  on  green  and  wholesome  food. 

If  the  bird  shows  no  signs  of  recovery  after  the  daily  doses  of 
castor-oil,  together  with  special  feeding  and  frequent  washing 
of  the  head  and  face  with  injection  of  the  soda,  have  been  per- 
severingly  tried  for  some  time,  then  it  is  far  better  to  kill  it,  even 
if  a  valuable  bird,  as  it  will  only  linger  on  and  die  a  miserable 
death;  besides,  the  longer  you  keep  it  the  greater  risk  you  run 
of  your  other  birds  catching  it,  as  they  may  do  this  by  accident, 
however  careful  you  may  be  in  separating  the  diseased  bird. 


DIARBHCEA 


Is  generally  caused  by  too  much  soft  food.  The  diet  should  be 
changed  directly  the  symptoms  of  this  malady  are  perceived. 
Chalk  given  in  the  water,  and  dry  food,  such  as  barley,  rice 
boiled,  but  the  grains  distinct,  neither  watery  nor  sodden,  with 
cayenne  pepper  mixed  with  it,  will  generally  check  the  disease. 
If,  however,  such  treatment  does  not  succeed,  then  try  this;  five 
grains  of  chalk,  two  grains  of  cayenne  pepper,  and  five  grains  of 
powder  rhubarb,  made  into  butter  pills.  If,  however,  this  even 
does  not  succeed  in  checking  the  diarrhoea,  then  give  half  a  grain 
of  opium  and  half  a  grain  of  ipecacuanha  every  six  hours. 
Keep  the  bird  in  a  separate  place,  and  warm,  as  a  chill  would 
probably  finish  it,  or  being  in  a  damp,  cold  place. 


INDIGESTION.  9 

Chlorodyne  I  have  myself  tried  with  great  success,  but  only 
when  the  malady  had  reached  a  severe  stage.  Six  drops  in  a 
teaspoonful  of  warm  water  would  be  the  dose  for  a  full-grown 
bird,  from  two  to  four  for  a  chick  according  to  age.  There  can 
be  no  harm  in  trying  the  remedy,  because  if  it  does  not  cure  it 
generally  induces  sleep,  and  relieves  the  suffering  bird  in  that 
way. 

With  diarrhoea  the  best  thing  is  to  check  it  at  once;  if  allowed 
to  go  on  it  often  proves  fatal,  but  by  prompt  and  judicious  early 
treatment  it  can  generally  be  fought  against.  The  bird  will, 
however,  even  when  cured,  have  to  be  taken  care  of  with  regard 
to  food  for  some  time,  and  should  have  some  sort  of  tonic  given 
it,  in  the  water  it  drinks. 


INDIGESTION. 


Indigestion  is  an  ailing  to  which  highly-fed  fowls  kept  in 
confinement  are  very  often  subject.  It  is  caused  from  failure  of 
macerating  power  in  the  gizzard.  A  teaspoonful  of  castor-oil  may 
be  given,  if  the  disease  is  suspected,  every  other  day,  and  the 
bird  fed  on  different  food.  Lime-water  has  been  tried  with 
advantage,  and  old  mortar  pounded  and  mixed  with  meal  may 
be  given  instead  of  their  ordinary  diet.  Sulphur  and  cayenne 
pepper  in  the  ratio  of,  six  parts  of  sulphur  and  one-sixth  of  the 
pepper,  and  mixed  with  barley-meal.  The  birds  should  also  be 
allowed  more  exercise,  a  run  on  the  grass  or  in  a  walk  where 
can  pick  up  gravel  and  grit,  for  it  is  very  often  the  difficulty  of 
procuring  such  rubbish  which  makes  fowls  kept  in  confinement 
suffer,  the  gizzard  being  weakened  in  its  action  by  want  of  its 
proper  natural  food. 


10  LEG-WEAKNESS,  GAPES, 


LEG-WEAKNESS. 


The  bird's  legs  should  be  bathed  frequently  in  cold  water,  and 
tied  up  in  wet  rags,  the  rags  kept  wet.  Iron  tonic  should  be 
given  with  its  food,  and  three  teaspoonfuls  of  castor-oil  at  roost- 
time  twice  or  three  times  a  week,  alternately  with  oatmeal  pills 
mixed  with  port  wine.  This  prescription  was  given  me  by  a 
great  fowl-fancier. 

Ordinary  fowls  do  not  sutler  the  leg- weakness  as  a  rule;  but 
fat,  heavy  birds  that  have  been  fed  up  for  shows  are  very  liable 
to  it,  and  young  growing  cockerels  of  the  Brahma  and  Cochin 
species. 


GAPES. 


All  young  chickens  are  subjeot  to  this  disease,  and  it  very 
frequently  proves  fatal.  Old  birds  are  very  rarely,  if  ever,  at- 
tacked by  it.  It  is  caused  by  small  red  worms  in  the  throat. 
Some  people  maintain  that  gapes  may  be  called  bronchitis,  and 
proceed  from  inflammation  of  the  trachea  or  windpipe  arising  from 
a  derangement  of  the  digestive  organs;  but  whether  it  be  called 
gapes  or  bronchitis  the  presence  of  small  worms  in  the  throat  is 
what  causes  the  suffocating  feelings  from  which  the  birds  suf- 
fer, and  will  die  if  not  relieved.  They  can  be  removed  by  passing 
a  tail-feather,  stripped  of  feathers  to  within  about  an  inch  of 
the  end,  down  the  windpipe.    This  feather  should  be  turned 


GOUT.  11 

round  quickly  and  drawn  out  again,  when  the  little  worms  will 
be  found  sticking  to  it.  Some  people  smoke  the  chickens,  but, 
to  my  idea,  this  only  tortures  the  poor  little  things,  and  the 
introduction  of  the  feather,  if  persevered  in  frequently  during  the 
day,  very  often  effects  a  cure.  I  have  cured  chickens  myself  by 
this  process,  giving  them  boiled  water  with  a  little  iron  tonic  in 
it,  and  cod-liver  oil  capsules,  feeding  them  with  hard-boiled  egg 
and  well  boiled  rice  during  the  time  they  were  under  treatment, 
and  one  teaspoonful  of  castor-oil — this  for  very  young  chicks; 
two  for  those  older,  about  six  weeks — every  other  night. 

The  red  worm  found  in  the  throat  is  now  known  to  be  the 
syngamus  trachealis.  I  have  found  the  following  preventative 
to  be  a  very  good  one;  mix  together  the  following  compound, 
lard  1  oz.  flower  of  sulphur  ^  oz.  coal-oil  £  oz.  Anoint  the  head 
of  all  chicks  hatched  with  this  ointment  as  they  are  taken  from 
the  nest. 

In  some  localities  it  is  a  complete  epidemic,  in  others  it  does 
not  appear  at  all  which  would  lead  one  to  suppose  that  the 
chicken  picked  up  the  worm,  or  it  was  found  in  the  water;  this, 
too,  accounts  for  the  old  idea  that  chickens  should  never  be  al- 
lowed out  in  the  early  morning  while  the  dew  was  on  the  grass, 
for  fear  they  should  get  the  gapes. '  Many  people,  too,  never 
give  their  chickens  water  at  all  to  drink,  but  milk,  and  this, 
though  rather  expensive,  is  without  doubt  a  very  good  plan. 


GOUT. 


Gout  generally  occurs  in  old  birds,  and  is  rarely  cured,  though 
I  did  once  patch  up  an  old  bird  so  troubled.     The  best  plan  to 


12  ASTHMA,  MEGRIMS. 

pursue  really,  is  to  boil  the  bird  down  for  soup,  for  of  course 
this  malady  does  not  prevent  the  birds  being  good  for  food. 
Sulphur  in  pills  has  been  recommended  as  a  remedy,  but  with 
small  success  I  should  fancy.  I  was  not  successful  in  curing  or 
even  relieving  the  bird  I  tried  it  on, 


ASTHMA. 


Asthma  is  a  complaint  to  which  old  birds  are  subject,  though 
some-times  it  effects  young  birds;  .but  this  is,  I  fancy  where  there 
is  an  hereditary  predisposition  to  it.  It  is  very  rarely  curable, 
the  best  thing  being  to  distroy  the  bird  so  afflicted.  It  arrises 
from  a  thickening  of  the  bronchial  tubes  from  previous  inflama- 
tion,  and  is  frequently  accompanied  by  a  positive  alteration  in 
the  structure  of  the  cellular  tissue  of  a  portion  of  the  lungs. 
It  will  be  easily  discovered  when  a  fowl  has  asthma.  The 
breathing  is  very  difficult,  and  a  wheezy,  rattling  sound  ean  be 
detected  with  each  inspiration. 


MEGRIMS. 


Megrims  is  a  giddiness  which  causes  the  bird  so  affected  with 
it  to  stagger  and  fall  about  when  walking,  even  to  run  round  and 
round  in  a  circle.  A  Poland  hen  I  had  used  to  run  in  a  small 
circle  in  this  way.  She  was  incurable,  and  had  eventually  be 
killed,  though,  as  she  was  a  well-bred  bird,  I  tried  different  me- 
thods of  treatment,  but  without  success.  This  malady  is  occa- 
sioned, it  is  said,  by  too  good  feeding  and  too  little  exercise. 
Castor-oil  in  tablespoonful  doses  is  the  best  remedy,  and  if  taken 
in  time  might  very  much  relieve  the  fowl  for  the  time,   but  I 


APOPLEXY,    BAD  FEATHERING.  13 

question  any  permanent  cure  existing.     Careful  diet  and  warmth 
are  essential. 


APOPLEXY. 


Apoplexy  also  results  from  too  high  feeding  and  too  little  ex- 
ercise. Fowls  kept  in  close  confinement  frequently  drop  down 
suddenly  and  die  of  this  disease.  A  large  dose  of  castor-oil 
should  be  given  as  soon  as  possible,  or  the  bird  should  be  bled 
from  the  axillery  vein,  but  this  is  not  an  opperation  which  can 
be  performed  by  every  one,  and  should  certainly  not  be  at- 
tempted by  a  person  ignorant  of  the  proper  method  of  perform- 
ing it.  Usually  apoplexy  is  rapid  in  its  effects,  and  the  bird 
drops  and  dies  then  and  there  when  it  is  taken  with  the  fit;  and 
it  is  just  as  well  this  is  the  case,  for  a  recovery  is  extremely 
doubtful  and  a  bird  once  attacked  by  the  malady  ia  ftiways  sub- 
ject to  a  return  of  it. 


BAD  FEATHERING. 


Bad  feathering  in  chickens  should  be  treated  with  more  gen< 
erous  diet :  hempseed,  bread  soaked  in  ale,  and  iron  given  in  the 
water.  Some  sorts  of  fowls  are,  when  young,  much  more  back- 
ward then  others  in  getting  their  first  feathers;  Cochins  and 
Brahmas  in  particular  suffer  from  this  cause,  and  may  often  be 
seen  running  about  when  three,  four,  or  even  six  months  old 
with  hardly  a  feather  on  them,  presenting  a  dreadfully  bare  and 
miserable  appearance.  This  is  more  particularly  the  case  when 
they  are  hatched  late  in  the  year  and  have  the  cold  winter  months 


14  MOULTING. 

before  them.  "Warmth  and  good  feeding  is  the  best  thing  to 
be  done  for  them,  nourishing  food  often  stimulating  the  growth 
of  the  feathers. 


MOULTING. 


Though  this  is  a  perfect  natural  process,  it  is  very  often  at- 
tended with  very  serious  results  to  fowls  if  they  are  not  looked 
after  during  the  time  they  are  going  through  it.  It  is  essentially 
a  wasting  period,  and  the  birds  should  be  fed  generously  and 
given  extra  stimulating  food  while  they  are  losing  and  renewing 
their  feathers.  Unless  very  sickly  they  do  not  lose  their  appe- 
tites, which  should  be  encouraged.  In  their  natural  state,  or 
when  allowed  comparative  liberty,  there  is  little  or  no  danger, 
but  when  kept  in  confinement  moulting  often  becomes  a  critical 
time  with  them,  and  as  they  increase  in  age  so  does  their  moult- 
ing become  more  weakening.  They  want,  as  I  said  before, 
more  stimulating  food,  and  should  have  coarse  black  pepper 
mixed  with  their  ordinary  food,  bread  soaked  in  ale.  Old  nails 
and  bits  of  iron  should  be  put  in  their  water-pans.  I  give  mine 
sometimes,  during  their  moulting,  Douglas's  Mixture,  which 
was  recommended  in  the  Field.  It  is  made  by  dissolving  half  a 
pound  of  sulphate  of  iron  and  one  ounce  of  sulphuric  acid  toge- 
ther, and  adding  two  gallons  of  spring  water,  and  should  be 
given  to  the  birds  in  the  proportion  of  one  teaspoonful^to  a  pint 
of  water  instead  of  their  usual  drinking-water.  It  is  an  excel- 
lent mixture,  and  good  for  roup,  leg-weakness,  and  other  poultry 
complaints,  as  it  gives  the  fowls  stamina,  and  should  be  given 
not  only  when  actual  disease  is  present,  but  also  in  the  spring 
and  fall  of  the  year,  when  they  appear  drooping  or  lose  their 
appetites. 


CROP-BOUND,    EGG-BOUND.  15 


CROP-BOUND. 


In  a  case  of  this  sort,  which  is  very '  easily  detected  by  the 
abnormal  swelling  of  the  crop,  the  only  remedy  is  to  make  a 
small  incision  in  it  with  a  sharp  penknife,  remove  the  mass  of 
undigested  food  which  causes  the  evil,  sew  up  the  cut  with  fine 
silk,  give  castor-oil,  and  feed  for  a  few  days  on  soft  food  only. 


EGG-BOUND, 


Egg-Bound  is  generally  caused  by  the  white  coagulating  in 
the  oviduct  and  obstructing  the  passage.  When  this  is  the  case, 
the  yolks  of  the  eggs,  as  they  become  mature  and  fall  into  their 
proper  place,  cannot  pass  by  reason  of  the  stoppage,  which  they 
of  course  enlarge  and  increase ,  until  the  accumulation  becomes 
putrid,  mortification  supervenes,  and  the  bird  dies.  Unfortu- 
nately, for  this  complaint  there  would  seem  to  be  no  remedy,  for 
its  presence  cannot  be  detected  until  the  mischief  is  done  and  it 
is  too  late  to  treat  the  bird  with  any  benefit.  Sometimes,  though, 
the  stoppage  is  merely  caused  by  general  inflimation  of  the  egg- 
organs,  in  which  case  calomel  and  tartar  emetic  have  been  known 
to  do  good,  in  the  proportion  of  one  grain  of  calomel  to  one- 
twelfth  grain  of  tartar  emetic.  When  a  hen  lays  soft  eggs,  if  she 
has  plenty  of  shell-making  material  supplied  for  hor,  inflamma- 
tion may  be  suspected,  and  she  should  be  carefully  watched  and 
treated  in  time. 


|6  SOFT  EGGS,    MANGE. 


SOFT  EGGS. 


Soft  eggs  are  often  laid  by  hens  when  they  have  not  a  suffick 
tnt  quantity  of  lime  and  mortar  rubbish  supplied  to  them,  with- 
out which  they  cannot  produce  enough  calcareous  matter  to  form 
shells  for  their  eggs.  If,  however,  this  is  caused  by  a  defection 
in  the  ovarium  of  the  hen — and  this  is  more  often  the  case  than 
people  fancy — then  the  following  treatment  should  be  followed: 
Feed  on  oats  instead  of  barley  or  other  grain,  and  give  the  hen 
a  teaspoouful  of  prepared  chalk  every  other  morning  for  about 
three  weeks  or  a  month.  The  chalk  can  be  given  dissolved  in 
the  drinking-water.  Do  not  feed  on  oats  each  meal,  but  give 
two  out  of  the  three  meals  of  coarse  meal,  and  mix  with  it  two 
teaspoonfuls  of  old  mortar  pounded  up  fine.  By  the  end  of  a 
month's  treatment  your  hen  will  probably  be  nearly  cured;  after- 
wards supply  her  well  with  lime  broken  bones,  mortar  rubbish, 
as,  indeed,  should  always  be  done. 


MANGE. 


Mange  is  a  malady  which  attacks  fowls  in  the  same  way  ii 
does  dogs  or  cattle,  but  is  not  a  very  usual  complaint;  it  arise? 
from  uncleanliness  and  too  little  food,  which  induces  debility.; 
Fowls  in  good  health  have  smooth,  glossy,  and  fine  plumage; 
when  the  feathers,  instead  of  having  this  appearance,  are  ruffled 
and  stare,  in  the  same  manner  a  horse's  coat  does,  $ho,n  they  are 
nearly  sure  to  have  some  malady,  very  frequently  some  skin 
disease,  unless  they  are  moulting,  and  then  their  plumage  is 


DKOPSY,    TOBPID  GIZZARD.  17 


always  more  or  less  disordered  and  unkept-looking.  A  better 
class  of  food,  pure  water,  and  the  mixture  before  mentioned  put 
into  it,  will  in  such  cases  give  relief,  and  most  probably  effect  a 
cure.  Fowls  with  this  complaint  must  be  kept  apart  from  the 
others. 


DROPSY. 


Dropsy  is  a  rare  disease,  and  fowls  afflicted  with  it  had  much 
better  be  killed  at  once  and  put  out  of  their  misery,  as  it  is  an 
almost  hopeless  complaint  and  one  very  seldom  cured,  though 
the  bird  may  linger  on  with  it  for  a  long  while,  and  suffer  very 
much  until  death  puts  and  end  to  its  troubles. 


TORPID  GIZZARD. 


Torpid  gizzard  is  caused  by  feeding  too  much  on  soft  food, 
thereby  destroying  the  action  of  the  gizzard,  which,  having  no 
work  to  do,  becomes  inactive  and  torpid.  Change  the  diet,  al- 
low the  bird  more  exercise,  and  dose  with  castor -oil  in  moderate 
doses  at  roost-time.  I  have  before  expressed  my  opinion  that 
it  is  a  mistake  to  feed  on  too  soft  food,  giving  all  grain  ground 
to  meal,  and  so  on.  In  their  natural  state  the  birds  would  never 
have  soft  food,  except  worms  and  green  food,  and  though  in 
confinement  it  is  necessary  to  give  a  good  deal  of  the  food  mixed 
up  and  cooked,  still  grain  in  its  natural  state  should  never  be 
entirely  withheld,  or  your  birds  will  certainly  suffer  from  torpid 
gizzards  and  other  ills  of  a  like  nature. 


18  *IP,   INFLUENZA. 


PIP. 


Pip  is  a  very  fatal  disease;  it  consists  of  inflammation  in  the 
tongue  and  throat,  and  is  caused,  it  is  thought,  by  irritation  of 
the  mucous  membrane  of  the  alimentary  canal.  Chickens  are 
mostly  attacked  by  it.  Some  people  scrape  the  scales  roughly 
off  the  tongue;  if  this  plan  is  adopted  it  should  be  done  very 
gently  with  the  nail;  but  borax  is  the  safest  remedy;  it  should 
be  dissolved  in  tincture  of  myrrh  and  water,  and  applied  with  a 
paint-brush  several  times  a  day.  The  bird  should  be  kept  in  a 
warm  place,  fed  on  bread  and  milk  with  green  food,  given  plenty 
of  pure  water,  and  dosed  with  castor-oil  in  doses  according  to  its 
age  and  strength.  Pip  can  be  detected  in  its  early  stages,  be- 
cause the  bird  frequently  opens  its  mouth  and  apparently  gasps 
for  breath,  for  the  thickening  of  the  membrane  of  the  tongue 
impedes  respiration. 


INFLUENZA. 


Influenza  should  be  treated  with  warmth;  the  eyes  and  nostrils, 
if  a  discharge  is  observed,  bath  frequently  with  warm  water. 
Generous  feeding  should  be  resorted  to,  but  not  of  too  stimula- 
ting a  nature,  and  the  bird  should  be  kept  by  itself.  Ordinary 
cold  and  catarrh  come  under  the  same  head. 


MUCOUS  MEMBRANE,    PARALYSIS.  19 

INFLAMMATION    OF    THE     MUCOUS 
MEMBRANE. 


Inflammation  of  the  mucous  membrane  is  usually  evinced  by- 
dysentery,  the  bird  mopes,  is  purged,  and  the  evacuations  are 
tinged  with  blood.  If  it  is  treated  promptly  directly  the  first 
symptoms  show  themselves,  it  is  possible  to  effect  a  cure  by 
giving  small  doses  of  castor-oil,  and  afterwards  doses  of  the 
Hydrargyrum  cum  creta,  rhubarb,  and  laudanum  in  the  follow- 
ing proportions : — 

Hydr.  cum  creta  -  -        3  grains. 

Rheubard  •  -  -  -        2  or  3  grains. 

Laudanum         -  -  -  -        2,  3  or  4  grains. 

This  dose  should  be  carefully  mixed  in  a  teaspoonful  of  gruel, 
and  should  be  given  every  alternate  day  for  ten  days,  or  even 
longer.  The  bird  must  be  very  sparingly  fed,  and  not  on  too 
relaxing  food,  and  for  some  time  after  should  be  subjected  to 
constant  supervision.  This  disease,  if  it  is  cured  even,  always 
leaves  a  certain  amount  of  delicacy  behind  it. 

PARALYSIS. 


Paralysis  arises  from  over-feeding  and  too  little  exercise,  and 
should  be  treated  in  the  same  way  as  megrims.  Soft  food  should 
be  given  alternating  with  a  little  grain,  but  not  to  much  of 
either,  plenty  of  exercise,  and  castor-oil  in  moderate  doses. 
There  is  little  else  to  be  done,  as  the  primary  cause  is  usually 
derangement  or  disease  of  the  spinal  cord. 


20  PHTHISIS,    RHEUMATISM,    CRAMP. 


PHTHISIS. 


Phthisis  is  the  effect  of  cold  and  damp;  change  of  climate  ha» 
been  advised  by  some  as  the  only  remedy,  but  however  far  gone 
people  may  be  in  the  mania  of  poultry-keeping  it  would  be  hardly 
worth  while  to  pack  off  a  bird  to  a  warm  genial  climate  as  would 
be  done  with  a  consumptive  patient!  Cod-liver  oil  might  be 
given  in  capsules  in  the  early  stage  of  the  malady,  but  with  me 
I  know  it  would  be  a  case  of  lejeu  ne  vantpas  la  chandelle,  and 
the  bird  would  be  speedily  be  put  out  of  the  way  as  mercifully 
as  possible.  For  it  could  be  of  no  possible  use  if  unhealthy,  es- 
pecially from  such  a  cause — no  one  in  their  senses  would  breed 
from  it  and  so  perpetuate  the  disease,  and  therefore  it  would 
simply  be  an  act  of  folly,  however  valuable  or  well-bred  a  crea- 
ture it  might  be,  to  cosset  it  back  into  a  convalescent  state  and 
spend  time  and  money  on  it. 

RHEUMATISM. 


Rheumatism  is  caused  by  cold  and  damp,  birds  in  very  rainy 
weather  in  winter  frequently  suffering  from  it.  It  can  only  be 
cured  by  moving  the  birds  affected  to  dry,  warm  quarters,  giving 
them  nourishing,  stimulating  food. 


CRAMP. 

Cramp  very  often  attacks  fowls;  it  is,  no  doubt,   in  the  first 


BRUISES  AND  FRACTURES.  21 

instance  attributable  to  damp,  and  to  stone  and  brick  flooring 
*n  fowl-houses.  If  your  house  is  floored  in  this  manner  and 
your  birds  begin  to  suffer,  at  once  have  it  dug  up,  and  a  compo- 
sition of  chalk,  gravel,  and  cinders  substituted  and  rammed 
down  until  hard  and  smooth.  If,  however,  your  floor  is  all  you 
could  wish,  then  probably  the  place  is  damp,  and  there  is  noth- 
ing for  it  but  to  seek  a  fresh  situation.  The  fowls  affected  will 
require  a  good  nourishing  diet:  bread  soaked  in  beer,  a  little 
meat  now  and  then,  and  oatmeal,  with  coarse  black  pepper  or 
peppercorns  pounded,  mixed  with  it. 

Some  birds — the  large  heavy  kinds— often  appear  to  be  suffer- 
ing from  cramp  when  in  reality  their  limbs  are  only  too  weak 
to  support  their  heavy  bodies;  this  is  frequently  the  case  with 
young  Erahmas  and  Cochins,  and  disappears  as  they  become 
older  and  stronger.  When  they  are  observed  to  rest  on  their 
knee-joints  they  should  be  fed  with  strengthening  food,  and 
have  iron  in  their  drinking-water. 

Cramp  in  the  limbs  is  quite  distinct  from  leg- weakness,  and 
usually  arises  from  the  causes  before  mentioned,  though  from 
the  birds  being  more  subject  to  it  in  cold,  wet  weather,  they 
should  be  well  fed  and  be  placed  in  a  warm  sheltered  place;  it 
is  often  set  down  to  rheumatism.  Sometimes  cramp  is  caused, 
though  by  some  derangement  or  obstruction  of  the  rump- 
gland. 


BRUISES  AND  FRACTURES. 


Bruises  and  Fractures  require  careful  attention;  a  broken  leg 
may  be  carefully  set  by  any  one  clever  with  poultry,  and  the 
bird  will  do  well. 


28  BROKEN-LEG,    DROWNING,  AC. 

BROKEN-LEG. 

The  leg  can  be  bound  round  with  stiff  leather  or  tightly  fixed 
in  a  cork  splice  bound  round  with  wool.  If  placed  in  a  shallow 
basket,  with  linen  cover  sewed  all  round  and  a  hole  ma#e  through 
which  the  neck  can  move  freely,  this  will  leave  the  leg  in  perfect 
quiet,  and  give  it  time  to  set.  Food  and  water  can  be  placed 
within  reach,  and  three  days  will  suffice  for  repairing  the  injury. 
Let  it  take  exercise  little  by  little.  Ducklings  spiked  by  a  sharp 
garden  fork  in  the  web  of  foot  or  bill  will  soon  recover,  as  the 
place  heals  of  itself;  if  through  the  neck,  bind  it  carefully  round 
with  diachylon  plaster. 

DROWNING. 

Ko  water  tubs  or  large  pans  of  water,  buckets  etc.,  should  ever 
be  allowed  to  stand  about  uncovered  in  the  poultry  yard,  as 
young  birds  especially  are  very  inquisitive,  and  often  fly  or  fall 
in.  If  discovered  in  time,  and  any  signs  of  life  is  left,  immerse 
the  bird  at  once  in  warm  water,  dry  it,  and  then  wrap  carefully 
in  cotten,  wool,  or  flannel,  and  place  near  a  good  fire.  Give  from 
half  to  a  whole  teaspoonful  of  port  wine,  and  be  careful  not  to 
expose  again  too  cold  to  suddenly. 

OBSTRUCTION  OF  RUMP-GLAND. 

Obstruction  of  rump-gland  occasions  very  often  an  entire  de- 
rangement of  the  whole  system,  and  is  nearly  always  symptoma- 
tic of  a  feverish  condition;  it  brings  on  inflammation  and  a  tu- 


CORNS,    ULCERS,    AC.  23 

mour,  which  should  be  opened  by  a  lancet,  and  the  matter  very 
gently  pressed  out.  Afterwards  the  place  should  be  fomented 
with  warm  water  and  the  bird  put  on  a  diet  of  oatmeal,  green 
food  and  have  a  teaspoonful  of  castor-oil  given  it  at  roosting- 
time  every  third  night  until  its  system  appears  to  have  recovered 
itself.  If  the  tumour  is  not  opened  (the  incision  should  be  a 
longitudinal  one)  the  obstruction  to  the  glandular  secretion  will 
affect  very  probably  the  spinal  cord,  cause  cramp  and  paralysis 
in  the  legs,  and  end  fatally. 


CORNS. 


Corns  are  very  frequently  caused  by  the  birds  having  their 
perches  fixed  too  high  from  the  ground;  in  flying  down  they 
bruise  their  feet,  and  corns  begin  to  form.  In  bad  cases  they 
should  be  pared  down  with  a  penknife  and  lunar  caustic  applied. 
The  best  thing  to  do,  though,  is  to  remove  the  primary  causes, 
the  high  perch  or  stone  floor,  for  that  will  also  develop  the 


ULCERS. 

Ulcers  do  not  very  often  give  trouble;  they  should  be  opened 
with  a  lancet  and  fomented  with  warm  water  frequently.  I 
never  had  a  case,  so  cannot  speak  from  experience  of  their  treat- 
ment. 

ELEPHANTIASIS. 

Elephantiasis  which  attacks  some  of  the  Asiatic  breeds,  is  th« 


24  BUMBLEFOOT,    WHITE  COMB. 

work  of  an  insect,  and  can  easily  be  detected  by  the  curious 
growth  of  matter  on  the  feet  and  legs;  they  should  be  dressed 
with  sulphur  ointment,  and  the  birds  aifected  seperated  from  the 
others. 


BTJMBLEFOOT. 


Bumblefoot  is  a  malady  to  which  Houdans  and  Dorkings  seem 
more  subject  than  other  fowls.  It  is  caused  very  often  as  corns 
are,  by  high  perching.  The  swelling  in  the  foot  may  be  opened 
with  a  sharp  knife  and  the  matter  removed;  after  this  is  done 
the  part  should  be  burnt  or  cauterised.  If,  however,  this  is  not 
done,  it  should  be  dressed  with  either  common  salt,  or  diluted 
carbolic  acid.  Sometimes  the  fifth  toe  swells  up;  this  may  be 
prevented  by  strapping  it  up  to  the  leg  when  the  bird  is  about 
two  months  old;  this  will  cause  it  to  settle  in  its  proper  place  and 
not  interfere  with  the  other  toes.  "When  you  observe  your  poul- 
try suffering  from  corns  or  "bumblefoot"  you  should  lower  your 
perches  at  once,  unless  they  are  already  very  low,  in  which  case 
there  must  be  some  other  reason  for  these  maladies — perhaps  a 
stone  or  brick  floor  to  the  house. 


WHITE  COMB. 


White  comb  is  common  in  Cochins,  and  is  said  to  be  catching. 
Hamburgs  also  suffer  from  it.  It  consists  of  small  white  spots 
scattered  over  the  comb  in  patches;  it  extends  in  some  cases  to 
the  face,  and  even  into  the  neck,  causing  the  feathers  to  fall  off. 
It  is  not,  really  speaking,  a  local  ailment,  though  generally  trea- 
ted with  oil,  carbolic  acid,  and  such  things  as  if  it  were;  thefacfc 


FEATHERS,    TORN    COMB,    TERMER-.  25 

being  that  the  bird  is  out  of  health,  and  internal  heat,  caused  by 
too  much  heating  and  stimulating  food,  shows  itself  externally 
in  these  white  spots  and  patches;  bad  water  is  also  said  to  cause 
it,  or  uncleanliness.  The  bird  is  cured  certainly  after  the  oil, 
&c,  have  been  frequently  applied;  but  it  is  generally  Nature's 
cure,  and  if  no  oil  had  been  used  would  still  have  been  effected. 
Castor-oil,  in  teaspoonf  ul  doses,  is  really  about  the  only  and  best 
thing  to  be  done. 


PAINT  AND  TAR  ON  FEATHERS. 


In  case  any  of  the  fowls  should  get  paint  on  their  feathers,  rub 
carefully  the  way  of  the  feathers  with  turpentine  or  benzine;  for 
tar,  use  butter  or  oil ;  but  prevention  is  better  than  cure. 


TORN  COMB. 


Of  frequent  occurrence,  from  the  fighting  of  cocks  through 
wire  partitions.  Should  the  wattles  be  much  tofn,  cut  off  hang- 
ing and  jagged  parts,  and  cleanse  with  cold  water  and  apply 
cobwebs.  When  scabs  form,  zinc  ointment  will  help  to  soften 
them. 


VERMIN. 


Fowls  suffer  dreadfully,  if  not  looked  after,  from  fleas,  vermin, 
ticks,  and  other  insects.  Their  houses  should  be  whitewashed 
at  least  twice  a  year,  old  straw  never  suffered  to  remain  in  the 


26  VERMIN. 

nests,  and,  above  all,  they  should  be  provided  with  dust-baths  of 
sieved  ashes;  they  should  never  be  kept  without  a  heap  of  fine 
dust  or  sand  in  which  to  roll  themselves.  If  allowed  this  neces- 
sary contrivance  they  will  rid  themselves  of  their  troublesome 
enemies.  No  one  who  has  watched  a  hen  in  a  dust-bath  will 
fail  to  see  how  thoroughly  she  enjoys  it,  sending  clouds  of  dust 
all  over  her  body  and  between  the  purposely  ruffled-out  feathers; 
she  works  her  whole  body  about  until  every  portion  of  it  has 
come  under  the  action  of  the  bath,  and  she  has  completely  dusted 
every  part.  These  baths  should  be  renewed  frequently,  the  best 
way  of  doing  so  being  to  water  the  heaps  of  dust,  then  scrape 
the  mud  so  formed  together  and  remove  it,  filling  up  the  hollows 
with  fresh  ashes  and  sand. 

Chickens  are  very  often  infested  with  minute  parasites ;  they 
should  be  dusted  well  with  flowers  of  sulphur,  which  will  gen- 
erally relieve  them  of  these  torments,  only  it  will  have  to  be  done 
frequently  to  be  of  any  use.  Sulphur  should  also  be  mixed  with 
with  the  dust  in  the  baths — flowers  of  sulphur,  of  course. 

In  spring  and  summer  it  is  especially  necessary  to  keep  your 
fowl-houses  perfectly  clean,  for  at  those  times,  of  the  year  insects 
of  all  kinds  breed  and  multiply  with  wonderful  rapidity. 

The  houses  should  be  well  whitewashed  as  spring  comes  on, 
and  also  sprinkled  frequently  with  carbolic  acid;  size  should  be 
mixed  with  whitewash,  as  it  then  fills  up  the  crevices  and  minute 
interstices  better,  and  does  not  easily  rub  off.  Coops  should 
also  be  washed  over  in  the  same  way.  The  dust-baths  in  sum- 
mer require  to  be  changed  more  frequently.-  In  cold  weather 
the  various  fowl-parasites  do  not  flourish  so  much  or  increase  so 
rapidly,  and  therefore  the  places  will  not  want  so  much  attention. 
Fowls  will  never  do  well  unless  they  are  kept  beautifully  clean; 
they  will  keep  themselves  so  if  they  are  only  given  the  proper 
requisites,  and  surely  if  they  are  profitable  and  useful  to  us  we 
need  not  mind  a  little  trouble  taken  on  their  behalf. 


BAD  HABITS  OF  FOWLS.  97 


BAD  HABITS  OF  FOWLS. 


Fowls  have  bad  habits  whicn  need  correcting;  not  so  numerous, 
perhaps,  are  their  faults  as  those  of  unfeathered  bipeds,  but, 
such  as  they  are,  by  no  means  easy  to  cure. 

They  are  quarrelsome  and  greedy,  but  then  "'tis  their  nature 
to"  be  both.  Egg-eating  and  Feather-eating  are  two  much  more 
serious  faults,  and  unfortunately  very  difficult  to  break  birds  of 
when  they  once  acquire  them. 

A  hen  I  once  had,  a  Hamburgh,  began  to  eat  her  eggs,  and 
though  I  tried  everything  I  could  think  of  in  the  way  of  dosing 
her  with  eggs  filled  with  eayenne  pepper  and  various  other  messes 
it  made  no  difference;  finally  I  had  her  fatted  up  and  ate  her, 
which  certainly  put  a  stop  to  her  egg-eating  propensities. 

In  those  days  nests  with  false  bottoms  had  not  been  thought 
of,  or,  if  they  had,  I  had  never  heard  of  them.  They  are  the 
best  things  to  have  in  such  a  case.  These  nests  are  made  with 
a  hole  in  the  middle  of  the  false  bottom,  which  is  sloped  all  round 
down  to  the  hole. 

The  nest  must  not,  of  course,  be  lined  with  straw,  which  would 
prevent  the  egg  rolling  into  the  hole,  but  padded  instead,  the 
padding  being  arranged  to  slope  into  the  false  bottom.  Straw  or 
hay  must  be  put  beneath  the  nest  for  the  egg  to  drop  on  to 
through  the  hole.  One  can  imagine  the  disgust  of  the  hen  who 
is  conscious  that  she  has  laid  her  egg,  but  yet  fails  to  find  it  to 
make  a  meal  on. 


28  BAD  HABITS  OF   FOWLS. 

Unless,  however,  the  hen  was  of  a  very  valuable  breed,  it  would 
be  hardly  worth  the  trouble  of  having  such  a  description  of  nest 
made  solely  for  her  use.  I  should  be  more  inclined  to  make  use 
of  her  as  an  addition  to  my  larder. 

Feather-eating  is  also  a  very  difficult  thing  to  cure.  Salt  is 
very  strongly  advised  to  be  given  to  all  feather-eaters.  Fowl- 
breeders  use  the  following  mixture,  which  I  consider  efficacious: 
"Four  parts  of  bran,  one  part  meal,  one  tablespoonful  of  salt 
to  every  eight  quarts,  stiffly  mixed  and  cooled;  birds  fed  with  it 
twice  a  day." 

Other  people  advise  powdered  borax  to  be  given  to  feather- 
eating  fowls;  they  will  feed  greedily  on  it  at  first,  and  then  by 
degrees  cease  to  care  for  it,  or  for  their  feathers.  The  habit 
arises,  doubtless,  from  some  inward  craving.  I  have  known 
birds  in  hot  weather  take  to  it  when  the  water  supply  was  not 
sufficiently  looked  after. 


GENERAL  TREATMENT. 


GENERAL   TREATMENT  OF   FOWLS. 


If  you  keep  many  or  few  fowls  you  must  be  prepared  to  keep 
them  with  some  degree  of  comfort  to  themselves — that  is,  if  you 
wish  the  result  to  be  satisfactory — and  to  insure  this  three  things 
are  necessary:  good  food,  clenliness  and  warmth.  You  must  have 
a  nouse  for  them,  and  a  run  attached  to  it,  if  they  are  not  allowed 
to  roam  about  the  farm  or  offices.  Fowls  kept  in  comparative 
freedom  naturally  do  far  better  than  those  which  have  to  under- 
go confinement;  they  are  unquestionably  more  healthy,  for  pure 
air;  pure  water,  and  freedom  to  roam  at  will  over  the  home- 
stead, picking  up  insects,  worms,  green  food,  and  gravel  as  they 
like  is  conducive  to  a  thoroughly  healthy  state.  Unless,  how- 
ever, you  have  a  little  land  attached  to  your  house,  or  you  are 
the  happy  possessor  of  a  small  farm,  your  birds  cannot  be  allowed 
to  follow  their  own  sweet  will,  and  must  be  kept  in  confinement 
at  least  some  portion  of  the  day. 

My  first  essay  at  poultry-farming  was  on  my  father's  farm, 
where,  of  course,  the  fowls — at  least,  all  the  commoner  sorts — 
had  their  full  liberty.  The  different  special  varieties  I  kept  per- 
fectly distinct  on  the  ''Upper  Farm,"  as  it  was  called  by  courtesy; 
while  the  commoner  useful  birds  had  the  run  of  the  farmyard, 
rickyard,  and  nearest  fields,  there  being  there  no  garden  to  spoil. 
I  leave  my  readers  to  judge  which  lot  of  fowls  did  best,   the 


30  GENERAL  TREATMENT. 

pampered,  well-bred  dirds,  who  were  looked  after  and  allowed 
their  runs  in  the  "mowhay"  at  certain  times  of  the  day,  or  the 
mongrel  lot  who  were  allowed  their  full  liberty,  not  being  so 
frequently  or  so  well  fed  as  the  others,  but  having  the  advantages 
of  freedom  to  counterbalance  these  disadvantages. 

When  kept  in  confinement  three  meals  a  day  is  the  outside 
allowance  for  them,  but  see  that  they  all  get  fed,  and  that  the 
strong  birds  do  not  gobble  it  all  up  and  the  more  weakly  ones 
fare  badly. 

Fowls  do  fairly  well  in  a  limited  space  provided  that  you  can 
give  them  a  grass  run  of  some  sort  and  you  do  not  keep  too 
many.  If  only  one  cock  bird  is  kept,  then  the  hens  should  cer- 
tainly not  exceed  eleven  at  the  very  most.  Eight  is  the  better 
number.  No  cock  bird  should  be  kept  more  than  three  years. 
I  prefer  changing  them  at  two,  and  two  good  laying  seasons  is 
quite  as  much  as  you  can  expect  for  a  hen  bird.  After  the  third 
year  they  do  not  lay  so  well  or  so  regularly,  and  therefore,  if  you 
keep  only  a  limited  number  see  that  they  are  young  and  prolific. 
Directly  they  begin  to  drop  oft  in  their  laying  during  the  proper 
season  draft  them  off,  Either  sell  or  slay  and  eat !  Fowls  live  to 
a  considerable  age.  It  is,  however,  a  very  great  mistake  to  keep 
on  old  birds  or  to  breed  from  old  stock,  or,  in  fact,  to  keep  any 
fowls  that  are  sickly  or  have  passed  their  prime.  Chickens 
obtained  from  them  are  aiways  weakly  and  degenerate,  the  eggs 
slack  off,  and  such  birds  are  not  really  worth  their  keep,  and  if 
economy  is  any  object  should  be  got  rid  of  without  delay.  Keep- 
ing only  the  limited  number  I  have  advised,  you  should  see  that 
they  are  all  in  thoroughly  good  condition.  You  should  manage 
also  to  have  each  year  pullets  ooming  on  to  lay  as  the  older  hens 
begin  to  cease  and  want  to  sit. 

Food  should  be  regularly  given  and  frequently  changed,  same- 
ness of  diet  being  by  no  means  desirable.     It  is  equally  bad 


GENERAL   TREATMENT.  8l 

remember,  to  overfeed  or  underfeed.    Study  your  fowls  carefully, 
and  try  to  hit  the  happy  medium. 

My  next  attempts  were  conducted  on  an  entirely  diflerent  plan. 
In  the  first  case  I  had  the  run  of  the  farm  produce,  had  no  trouble 
in  procuring  "  after- wheat, "  barley,  or  oats,  and  plenty  of  roots 
and  green  food.  In  the  second  I  had  to  buy  all,  but  the  scraps 
from  the  house.  I  kept  an  account  of  all  incomings  and  outgo- 
ing, in  a  book,  entering  tne  fowls'  food,  etc.,  I  bought  on  one 
side,  and  the  chickens  and  eggs  sold  on  the  other.  This  plan  I 
advise  all  poultry-keepers,  whether  on  a  large  or  small  scale,  to 
adopt,  as  it  can  then  be  ascertained  exactly  how  much  the  fowls 
cost  each  week,  month,  or  year. 

It  is  impossible  to  lay  down  hard  and  fast  rules  as  to  the 
amount  of  food  you  allow.  Some  days  your  birds  will  eat  more 
than  others,  at  other  times  less,  bat  whatever  you  do  never  stint 
them,  for  that  is  a  very  poor  and  mistaken  economy,  as  you  will 
in  the  long  ran  learn  to  your  cost. 

Poultry-keepers  must  not  mind  trouble  :  look  after  the  fowls 
yourself.  Believe  me,  personal  supervision  goes  a  very  long  way 
towards  success.  Study  your  birds,  their  individual  ways,  their 
appetites.  See  that  they  have  all  they  want  or  that  is  desirable 
for  their  comfort.  Read  books  and  articles  on  the  subject,  and 
treasure  up  all  the  practical  kuowledge  and  hints  that  you  can 
obtain  from  those  who  are  experienced  in  the  business  of  poultry- 
tending. 


32  DAILY  BOUTINS. 


DAILY  ROUTINE. 


Method  must  be  observed  in  every  undertaking?  more  partic- 
ularly is  it  necessary  in  poultry-keeping.  You  will  get  through 
much  more  work  in  the  poultry-yard  by  arranging  your  time, 
and  will  have,  therefore,  more  leisure  for  your  various  other 
duties,  for  I  do  not  for  an  instant  imagine  the  care  of  your  fowls 
to  be  your  sole  end  and  aim  in  life. 

The  first  early  meal  your  cook  or  kitchen-maid  will  most  prob- 
ably have  to  give  your  fowls,  as  it  is  not  very  likely  that  you  will 
be  up  and  about  at  so  early  an  hour  ;  she,  too,  will  let  them  out 
of  the  fowl-house  for  their  early  run — that  is,  if  they  are  allowed 
and  can  have  the  benefit  of  such  a  luxury. 

Then  will  come  your  work. 

If  possible  get  your  fowl-house  swept  out  before  breakfast.  If 
you  leave  it,  till  after,  and  you  are  the  master  or  mistress  of  a 
house,  you  will  have  that  to  attend  to  first,  and  you  will  be  so 
late  out  in  your  poultry-yard  that  it  will  be  time  for  the  birds' 
second  meal. 

It  is  astonishing  how  short  a  time  it  takes  to  sweep  out  and 
sand  your  fowl-house  if  you  do  it  every  morning  and  have  every- 
thing ready  to  hand  :  a  hard  broom,  a  spade,  a  small  wooden  box 
made  in  the  form  of  the  boxes  grooms  use  in  the  stable,  in  which 
to  place  the  sweepings  and  carry  them  away  to  the  pit.     For  a 


DAILY  ROUTINE.  33 

pit  should  always  be  provided,  as,  mixed  with  other  ingredients, 
the  manure  from  poultry  is  most  useful  in  the  garden,  but  not 
alone ;  some  people  have  an  erroneous  idea  that  without  the  mix- 
ture of  any  other  substance  it  is  very  valuable ;  but  this  is  a  mis- 
take. Then,  when  your  house  and  yard  are  clean  and  sweet, 
broomed  and  sanded,  see  to  the  water-pans,  thoroughly  cleansing 
them,  look  to  the  nests  if  they  require  fresh  straw,  and  attend  to 
the  sitting  hens  if  you  have  any.  A  good  plan  is  to  let  them  out 
for  their  feed,  drink,  and  dust-bath  while  you  are  cleaning  and 
sweeping,  as  you  will  then  see  that  they  go  back  properly  to  their 
nests  again. 

Fattening  chickens  and  young  chickens  will  have  been 
attended  to  before  you  began  your  ordinary  work. 

About  eleven  or  twelve  o'clock  the  fowls  should  have  their 
second  meal — of  soft  food  this  time,  as  grain  will  probably  have 
been  given  to  them  early  ;  then,  unless  you  have  young  chickens, 
you  need  trouble  no  more  about  your  birds  until  about  five 
o'clock  in  the  summer  and  four  o'clock  in  the  winter,  when  you 
may,  if  in  the  former  period  and  very  hot.  give  fresh  water  in  the 
pans,  collect  the  eggs  laid  that  day  and  place  them  in  their 
proper  box,  and  finally  give  the  third  and  last  meal  before  they 
go  to  roost. 

Go  round  yourself  the  last  thing  to  lock  up  the  house  and  yard, 
seeing  that  all  tho  birds,  young  and  old,  are  safely  housed  for 
the  night. 

So  much  for  ordinary  everyday  work  ;  an  hour  in  the  morning, 
or  perhaps  an  hour  and  a  half  if  you  have  many  small  broods  of 
chickens,  another  hour  or  so  in  the  afternoon,  with  a  glance  now 
and  then  into  the  poultry-yard  during  the  day,  will  see  you  well 
through  your  daily  work,  unless  there  may  be,  possibly,  hatch- 
ing going  on,  or  sickness,  or  anything  more  than  usually  im- 
portant. 


?, 


84  DAILY  ROUTINE. 

As  to  the  work  being  hard,  that  it  certainly  is  not,  for  I  did  it 
it  at  one  time  every  day  ;  it  is  very  healthy,  and,  though  possibly 
to  a  lady  might  be  a  little  disagreeable  until  she  got  used  to  it, 
to  any  ordinary  person  it  is  simply  a  pleasant  outdoor  amuse- 
ment calculated  to  interest  and  banish  ennui  effectually. 

If  you  look  after  your  fowls  like  this  yourself,  never  fear  about 
their  succeeding — they  must  do  so — rand  the  more  care  you  take, 
the  more  thrifty  and  economical  you  are  in' your  methods  of  man- 
agement, the  more  you  and  your  poultry  wiil  prosper,  only  do  not 
begin  on  too  large  a  scale  at  first,  and  do  not  throw  it  all  up  in 
disgust  because  you  do  not  at  once  succeed  in  gaining  large 
profits. 

Every  undertaking  must  have  a  certain  commencement,  and 
success  only  follows  on  perseverance  in  poultry-keeping  as  in 
most  other  pursuits. 


MOW  TO  COLLECT  THE  EGOS. 


HOW  TO  COLLECT  THE  EGGS. 


Have  a  series  of  shallow  boxes  (wooden)  made  large  enough 
to  hold  as  many  eggs  as  you  are  in  the  habki  of  having  from  your 
hens  every  day  ;  these  boxes  should  be  filled  with  bran  and  the 
eggs  stood  upright  in  them,  the  small  end  downwards.  Place 
the  boxes  on  a  shelf  where  you  can  easily  ge£  at  them  ;  say  you 
have  seven  boxes ;  this  seems  a  large  numbei,  but  I  will  show 
you  why  ;  most  people  date  their  eggs,  but  if  you  have  from  fif- 
teen to  twenty  a  day  you  will  find  this  a  lengthy  process,  besides 
going  against  the  sale  of  them.  If  you  want  to  k«ep  the  eggs  of 
any  particular  hen,  then  date  them  of  course,  and  add  the  hen's 
name  ;  but  if  you  are  mereiy  collecting  your  eggs  for  table  use, 
or  for  sitting,  you  will  find  this  a  more  simple  method. 

Your  seven  boxes  should  be  kept  in  a  line,  or  if  not,  oil  shelves 
one  below  the  other.  You  start,  we  will  say,  with  the  first  ?*ox, 
in  which  you  deposit  ten,  twelve,  or  fifteen  eggs,  or  whatever  the 
number  may  be  of  that  day's  laying.  Each  box  should  have  a 
nail,  on  which  should  hang  a  card  with  the  number  plainly 
printed  on  it,  as  many  numbers  as  there  are  boxes,  1  up  to  7.  On 
the  box  in  which  you  put  your  first  day's  eggs  hang  label  No.  1. 
This  will  be,  we  will  say,  on  Sunday.  On  Monday  place  that 
days'  eggs  in  the  next  box;  shift  the  label  of  No.  1  to  it,  and  put 


36 


HOW  TO  COLLECT    THE  EGGS. 


No.  2  label  on  it  instead  ;  and  so  go  on  until  you  have  filled  all 
your  boxes,  and  they  are  all  properly  labelled  according  to  age 
— one  day  to  seven.  No  egg  is  really  fit  to  be  called  a  fresh  egg 
which  is  more  than  seven  days  old.  If  you  keep  them  longer 
you  must  have  a  store-box  and  remove  them  to  it,  only  they 
should  be  treated  then  as  preserved  eggs  for  cooking. 


MOW  TO    PRESERVE  EGGS. 


HOW  TO  PRESERVE  EGGS. 


There  are  various  plans  advised  by  poultry-keepers,  but  the 
most  simple  is  really,  I  believe,  the  most  effectual,  at  least  for 
two  or  three  months'  keeping.  The  great  secret  is  to  close  the 
pores  of  the  shell,  which  can  easily  be  done  by  rubbing  them  well 
over  with  butter,  oil  or  lard.  The  best  way  is  to  run  down  some 
hog's  lard  in  a  basin,  and  dip  the  eggs  one  by  one  into  it.  Of 
course,  it  must  not  be  hot,  only  just  warm  enough  to  melt  the 
lard  and  allow  of  the  egg  being  dipped  well  in.  The  greasy  sub- 
stance must  then  be  well  rubbed  into  the  pores  with  the  fingers. 
They  can  then  be  stored  in  bran  in  your  store-tub,  or  packed  in 
a  barrel  in  hay  if  you  wish  to  send  to  send  them  away.  If  you 
keep  them  in  bran  they  must  be  looked  to  from  time  to  time  to 
avoid  the  bran  becoming  damp  or  mouldy,  which  would  spoil  the 
eggs. 

The  following  is  a  good  method  for  preservation: — "Take  a 
couple  of  hot  lime  shells,  and  in  an  earthen  dish  slake  them  in 
a  good  quantity  of  water,  stirring  the  mixture  round  to  let  the 
sediment  fall  to  the  bottom.  Put  it  aside  for  some  hours,  and 
when  the  superfluous  water  has  risen  to  the  top  pour  it  ofl  till 
the  thick  creamy  soft  lime  is  reached,  for  this  is  the  material 
which,  hardened  round  the  packed  eggs,  preserves  them  effec- 
tually for  months  to  come.  Then  take  the  eggs,  and  in  any 
suitable  vessel  (chipped  or  cracked  milk-dishes  useless  for  milk 


38  HOW  TO  PRESERVE  EGGS. 

answer  very  well)  put  them  in,  a  layer  all  straight  on  end,  and 
with  a  spoon  fill  up  with  the  lime  till  the  eggs  are  more  than 
covered.  Then  put  in  another  layer,  and  proceed  as  before  until 
the  dish  if  filled  up.  Put  away  in  a  cool  but  not  too  dry  place — 
a  cellar-floor  answers  well — and  when  required  for  use  piok  the 
eggs  carefully  out  from  the  lime  with  the  point  of  a  knife  or  a 
sharp  spoon." 

Here  is  another  recipe  from  a  German  paper: — "On  27th 
March,  1879,  some  eggs  were  placed  for  an  hour  in  a  solution  of 
50  grammes  of  salicylic  acid  and  a  little  spirits  of  wine  diluted 
with  one  litre  of  water,  and  afterwards  were  packed  away  in 
bran.  At  the  end  of  June  they  were  in  good  condition  and  as 
fresh  as  new-laid.  Autumn-laid  eggs  would  keep  much  better 
lhan  spring  eggs.' ' 

The  great  secret  of  preserving  eggs  fresh  without  recourse  to 
more  elaborate  processes  is  to  place  the  egg  small  end  down- 
wards and  keep  it  in  that  position.  This  should  always  be  the 
position  of  an  egg  whether  kept  for  sitting  or  use,  rubbed  with 
grease,  or  preserved  in  lime  and  chemical  preparations.  An  inch 
board  about  a  foot  wide  and  from  two  to  three  feet  long  may  be 
procured,  and  holes  bored  in  it  of  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter. 
Strips  of  board  or  laths  may  be  nailed  round  this  board  as  a 
ledge,  and  a  cupboard  in  a  cool  place  fitted  up  with  5  or  6  inch 
boards  or  shelves.  Then  as  fast  as  you  get  fresh  eggs  place 
them  in  the  holes  in  the  boards  small  ends  downwards,  and 
they  will  keep  fresh  for  some  weeks.  These  shelves  might  be 
substituted  for  the  boxes  I  have  before  named,  and  numbered 
in  the  same  way.  A  carpenter  would  make  boards  of  this  de- 
scription for  a  very  small  sum. 

Eggs  can  also  be-preserved  by  being  brushed  all  over  with  a 
solution  of  gum-arabic,  and  then  packed  in  dry  charcoal-dust; 
also  by  being  kept  in  the  following  mixture,  which  was  invented 


HOW  SO  PRESERVE   EGG8.  80 

by  a  Mr.  Jayne,  of  Sheffield: — In  a  tub  place  1  bushel  of  quick- 
lime, 21bs.  of  salt,  £lb.  cream  of  tartar,  and  mix  all  together 
with  sufficient  water  to  make  the  composition  of  such  consis- 
tence that  an  egg  put  into  it  will  swim  with  the  top  just  above 
the  fluid;  then  put  in  the  eggs,  which,  it  is  said,  will  keep  good 
for  two  years. 


40  HOW  TO  7  AC*. 


HOW  TO  PACK. 


Each  egg  should  be  wrapped  first  of  all  in  silver  paper,  then 
newspaper,  and  then  placed  in  a  box  filled  with  hay,  rough 
seeds,  or  chaff;  there  is  then  no  fear  of  their  breaking.  It  may 
sound  troublesome,  but  if  silver  or  thin  paper  is  always  savad, 
and  newspapers,  and  placed  aside  in  a  drawer  or  shelf  devoted 
to  that  purpose,  I  see  little  difficulty  about  it  myself.  It  is 
harder  to  procure  the  seeds  or  chaff.  If  these  cannot  be  had, 
then  soft  hay  or  straw  must  be  used,  but  remember  the  secret 
of  good  packing  is  tight  packing;  leave  no  crevices,  or  else  the 
eggs  will  shake  about. 

In  packing  sittings  of  valuable  eggs  the  above  is  the  best  plan; 
but,  as  a  final  precaution,  the  box  so  packed  should  be  packed 
itself  into  a  hamper  well  surrounded  with  tightly-pressed  hay  or 
straw.  I  may  mention  that  the  lid  of  the  box  ought  to  be 
screwed  on  for  eggs  which  are  to  be  used  for  a  sitting,  as  the 
jar,  in  nailing,  would  very  likely  damage  them.  I  generally 
use  hay  myself  for  packing  the  wrapped-up  eggs,  and  I  never 
heard  of  any  damage  occurring  to  them.  Many  people,  I  know, 
advise  chaff  or  seeds;  but  sometimes — in  fact  nearly  always — 
the  shaking  of  the  journey  causes  the  seeds  to  settle  down  more 
closely  together,  and  then  spaces  may  be  left,  though  you  might 
fancy  you  had  packed  your  box  perfectly  tight.  With  the  hay 
this  is  not  at  all  likely  to  occur,  especially  if  you  put  a  good 
layer  of  it  in  the  bottom  of  the  box,  then  a  layer  of  wrapped-up 
eggs,  then  more  hay,  and  so  on  until  you  have  filled  the  box. 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 


MISCELLANEOUS 

Poultry    Receipts. 


ADDLED  EGGS. 

Those  which  have  been  sat  upon,  and  which  have  been 
clear  from  first  day,  or  ''unfertile."  Such  eggs,  if  taken  out  of 
the  incubator  or  nest  on  the  fifth  or  sixth  day,  are  fit  for  cooking; 
if  left  in,  they  will  injure  those  that  are  fertile,  and  eventually, 
when  broken,  may  explode  and  be  very  offensive;  if  incubation 
is  continued  with  a  "clear"  egg  it  will  become  "addled."  An 
egg  becoming  fluid  shows  that  at  some  time  it  must  have  been 
chilled. 

AGE  OF  HENS  AND  PULLETS  TO  LAY. 

Pullets  lay  at  four  and  a  half  months  to  six  and  a  half;  their  time 
for  laying  is  in  the  hands  of  the  clever  poultry-woman  or  breeder. 
If  hatched  for  egg  produce  only,  and  with  intent  to  keep  up  a 
succession  of  layers,  eggs  should  be  incubated  during  almost 
every  month :  January  to  April  being  the  best.  If  your  object  is 
to  secure  eggs  at  the  earliest  moment,  take  care  not  to  move  the 


43  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

pullets  about  from  place  to  place,  as  it  seriously  delays  and 
checks  egg  production;  as  soon  as  pullets  are  over  their  fifth 
month  they  should  be  mated,  and,  if  possible,  in  the  same  quar- 
ters in  which  they  have  been  brought  up.  Chicks  hatched  in 
September  will  not  be  so  forward  to  lay  at  five  months  in  Jan- 
uary as  those  hatched  in  January  are  in  April.  Hens,  if  they 
are  old  and  have  laid  on  late  into  the  season,  cannot  be  expected 
to  lay  before  February. 

AGE  TO  BREED  AT. 
Pullets,  on  the  contrary,  meant  for  exhibition  and  prize  stock 
must  be  hatched  in  the  months  of  January  to  March  inclusive, 
and  it  is  wise  to  give  the  pullets  a  frequent  change  to  prevent 
laying,  and  so  lengthen  the  pei?".od  for  growth.  Pullets  from 
which  to  breed  exhibition  stock  should  be  quite  seven  to  eight 
months  old  before  they  are  mated,  and  when  this  is  done  an 
adult  cock  should  be  in  their  run,  while  fc*U'  cockerels  should  be 
placed  with  the  adult  hens.  Hens  from  1 .70  to  three  years  of 
age  are  more  valuable  to  breed  from  than  pullets :  their  chickens 
are  stronger  as  a  rule. 

AGE  TO  FATTEN. 
Cockerels  of  from  four  to  five  months  are  in  prime  order  for 
fattening;  it  is  little  use  commencing  earlier  if  size  is  an  object, 
but  birds  of  this  age  should  be  ready  for  table  if  well  kept  with- 
out special  fattening. 

AGE,  TO  JUDGE,  IN  POULTRY. 
If  for  table,  examine  the  feet  and  legs;  the  size  and  appearance 
of  the  spur  form  an  unfailing  guide  in  hens  as  well  as  cocks. 
The  skin  of  the  pullet  or  cockerel  is  smooth  and  fresh-looking, 
the  adult  bird  yearly  grows  coarser  and  shrivelled:  place  the 
thumb  and  forefinger  on  either  side  of  the  back  near  the  pope's 
nose  or  oil  receptacle,  and  press  it;  in  young  birds  that  part  is 
supple,  in  old  birds  it  is  difficult  to  bend.     In  ducks  the  age  is 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  43 

very  hard  to  tell,  even  great  judges  find  a  difficulty;  ducks  of 
two  or  three  years'  standing  have,  however,  a  deep  depression 
down  the  breast  feathers,  and  their  waddle  becomes  yearly  more 
ungainly. 

AGE  TO  KILL. 

If  you  are  breeding  for  exhibition  kill  off  any  birds  not  fit  for 
show  purposes,  however  small,  unless  you  have  special  runs 
for  table  stock  into  which  to  draft  all  false-feathered  specimens. 
It  is  bad  economy  to  keep  them  crowding  your  prize  birds  pre- 
paring for  exhibition.  Hens  should  be  killed  in  their  second 
year,  the  moment  they  cease  laying  their  summer  batch  of  eggs; 
do  not  let  them  get  into  moult,  or  you  will  have  to  keep  them 
through  it  at  a  disadvantage.  A  hen  hatched,  say,  in  March, 
1878,  should  lay  up  to  the  end  of  July  m  1879,  and  then  be  fat- 
tened and  killed;  if  well  hung,  she  will  be  excellent  eating  still. 
In  case  of  prize  stock  the  rule  is  different,  and  the  moment  for 
killing  must  be  decided  by  the  value  of  the  specimen  in  ques- 
tion; no  valuable  stock  bird  should  be  discarded  till  the  comple- 
tion of  her  third  or  fourth  year,  as  even  a  dozen  or  two  of  her 
eggs  may  be  invaluable  for  incubation. 

AGE  TO  SHOW. 

The  exhibitor  who  wishes  to  be  early  in  the  field  must  hatch 
early.  Cockerels  for  August  and  September  shows  must  be 
hatched  out  in  January  and  February.  In  from  six  to  seven 
months  the  plumage  of  the  cockerel  is  fairly  perfected,  and 
pullets,  if  kept  from  laying  till  six  or  seven  months  and  then 
paired,  and  exhibited  when  laying  has  just  commenced,  will  be 
in  perfect  order.  Adult  birds  must  be  exhibited  when  over 
moult,  and  when  laying  recommences;  the  cock  bird  Is  not  in 
spirits  and  will  mope  in  his  pen  if  shown  before  the  moult  is 
over,  and  the  adult  hen's  comb  will  look  dry  and  shrivelled  up 
till  she  lays. 


44  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

AIR  BUBBLE,  OR  AIR  CELL, 

In  an  egg,  is  at  the  round  or  blunt  end:  it  contains  the  air  which 
is  to  supply  the  chick  during  the  process  of  incubation — it  is 
known  to  contain  a  greater  proportion  of  oxygen  than  the  air  we 
breathe.  As  the  chick  increases  in  size  the  air  bubble  grows 
larger,  and  when  on  the  point  of  hatching  it  occupies  one-fifth 
of  the  whole  egg.  The  slightest  perforation  of  this  air  chamber 
will  prevent  succes  in  hatching  out.  About  the  nineteenth  day 
of  incubation  the  air  cell  is  ruptured,  and  the  chick  breathes 
with  its  lungs;  it  is  at  this  date  that  the  lively  movements  seen 
in  eggs  placed  in  water  are  observable. 

ALARM. 

The  attendant  in  the  poultry- yard  should  by  all  means  try  to 
make  friends  with  his  flock,  and  never  alarm  them  or  drive  them 
needlessly.  He  should  never  shout  at  them  in  an  angry  tone, 
and  should  acquire  a  habit  of  calling  them  always  in  a  special 
manner  when  coming  to  feed  them  at  meal  hours.  When  laying 
hens  are  alarmed  soft  eggs  are  the  result;  and  if  afraid  of  their 
keeper,  exhibition  birds  in  being  caught  and  dressed  for  shows 
run  the  greatest  risk  of  spoiling  combs  and  plumage  by  knock- 
ing themselves  about  in  their  fright. 

ALE. 

Ale  may  be  used  with  advantage  occasionally  as  a  treat  in 
severe  weather  for  laying  stock.  Should  a  bird's  comb  turn 
blue,  from  confinement  at  a  show  in  cold  weather,  a  warm  house 
and  bread  soaked  in  ale  once  a  day  will  effect  wonders.  But  ale 
should  not  be  used  constantly,  as  it  is  too  stimulating. 

ALLOWANCE  OF  FOOD. 

(See  Food.)  No  absolute  scale  can  possibly  be  given,  and  yet 
on  the  proper  allowance  of  food  being  given  to  each  fowl  hangs 
the  question,  "Does  poultry  pay  or  not?"  Most  fanciers'  birds 
are  over-fed,  and  in  this  lies  great  danger.     The  various  breeds 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  4fi 

require  more  or  less  food  according  to  size  and  character,  and 
the  only  safe  rule  to  lay  down  in  case  of  adult  birds  is  to  give 
at  the  morning  meal  and  supper  time  only  as  much  as  they  will 
pick  up  greedily,  (never  leave  food  on  the  ground  or  in  the  pans) 
at  mid-day  give  only  a  few  grains,  more  as  an  occupation  than  as  a 
meal.  I  find  a  (lady' s)  handful  of  grain  to  each  bird  is  ample ;  while 
of  soft  food  in  the  morning,  about  as  much  as  would  go  into  a  gill 
measure  is  almost  too  much  for  each  bird.  Green  food  should 
be  given  ad  lib.,  and  should  never  be  forgotten,  but  too  large  a 
supply  of  fresh- mown  grass  given  at  rare  intervals  is  injurious; 
birds  are  apt  to  eat  too  much,  and  scouring  is  the  result. 

ANIMAL   FQOD. 

When  fowls  are  kept  without  grass  run  or  ample  range,  meat 
is  all  but  a  necessity;  the  number  of  eggs  in  winter  will  be 
greatly  increased  on  meat  diet.  Bullock's  liver,  slightly  boiled, 
and  chopped  in  chopper,  peppered  and  mixed  with  pot-liquor, 
and  thickened  with  oatmeal,  warm,  is  much  relished.  Scraps 
and  cuttings  from  the  butcher,  are  well  worth  getting  for  the 
same  purpose.  The  French  give  horse-flesh  to  their  poultry,  in 
the  management  of  which  they  are  notably  successful.  During 
moult  and  in  severe  weather  it  is  bad  economy  not  to  buy  meat; 
for  breeding  stock  and  early  supply  of  fertile  eggs  it  is  essential. 
It  may  be  given  chopped  small  and  mixed  with  rice,  meal,  or 
other  soft  food;  or,  for  a  change,  a  piece  of  meat  may  be  nailed 
or  tied  to  the  wall  of  the  pen  for  the  fowls  to  peck  at  on  rainy 
days.  For  chicken  supply,  cook  the  meat  and  chop  it  fine. 
This  may  be  given  to  chickens  at  three  days  old  and  upwards. 
A  supply  of  maggots  is  the  best  animal  food  for  young  chickens. 
If  in  the  country,  a  dead  lamb  or  sheep,  or  a  calf  may  at  times 
be  procured,  and  provided  that  death  was  caused  by  anything 
but  a  long  and  severe  illness,  there  is  no  reason  why  these  should 
not  be  used  in  the  poultry-yard.    Attentions  of  this  kind  in   x 


46  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

poultry-run  ward  off  evils,  such  as  egg  and  feather  eating. 

ANIMAL  FOOD:  KINDS  TO  PROCURE. 

Meat:  Gravy-beef,  slightly  boiled,  salted  and  peppered  and 
finely  chopped,  should  be  got. 

Earth-worms  are  excellent,  but  some  fowls  will  not  eat  them. 

Scraps  from  table. — Very  good;  and  if  near  a  boarding-house 
or  school,  arrangements  should  be  made  to  take  the  remnants. 

AnW  Nests. — Excellent  for  young  chickens.  School  or  vil- 
lage children  may  be  encouraged  to  bring  them  in  for  a  few 
pence. 

Meal-worms. — These  for  chicks  are  unsurpassed,  and  produce 
wild  excitement.  A  regular  supply  can  be  procured  by  expend- 
ing a  little  trouble  and  thought  on  the  matter,  which  is,  how- 
ever, not  an  agreeable  one. 

Cheap  Winter  Food.— Get  a  sheep's  or  cow's  head;  boil  it 
down,  after  chopping  it  small  with  an  axe  or  a  bone-crushing 
machine.  Boil  in  the  stock,  cabbage,  potatoes,  carrots,  par- 
snips, and  thicken  to  a  crumbling  mass  with  dry  boiled  rice. 

APPETITE. 

To  maintain  birds  in  a  really  healthy  state  appetite  must  be 
kept  up,  and  it  is  good  management  to  have  the  poultry  in  such 
a  state  that  they  will  fly  up  to  meet  the  poultry-man,  and  scram- 
ble for  their  food.  Loss  of  appetite  comes  from  unwise  feeding 
on  over-spiced  food. 

APRJJ.  WORK. 

March  chicks  are  always  more  in  demand  than  later  ones;  but 
April  is  the  month  when  the  birds  get  on  best,  and  hatching 
should  be  vigorously  continued.  If  warm  and  dry,  nests  should 
have  very  hot  water  poured  round  the  outer  edge  of  the  straw — 
not  on  the  eggs;  avoid  doing  this  so  that  the  water  runs  into  the 
nest.     The  eggs  should  not  lie  in  the  water  for  a  in-*ne«i.-- 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  47 

Drench  all  the  parts  of  the  nest  except  the  eggs. 

Chicken  feeding  becomes  complicated;  the  older  broods  of 
January  and  February  will  be  growing  large  and  very  bold.  If 
it  has  not  been  done  already,  separate  them ;  draft  off  the  older 
broods  to  open  quarters  as  weather  permits,  so  that  younger 
chicks  may  have  a  better  chance.  Place  the  food  about  in  a 
number  of  glazed  saucers  or  tins,  so  that  all  may  have  an  equal 
share.  Let  all  eat  until  they  will  eat  no  more,  then  clear  away 
the  remains. 

Continue  constant  disinfection  of  chieken  boxes  and  coops; 
eschew  hay  beds — they  breed  vermin.  If  a  brood  looks  sickly, 
suspect  vermin — "lice" — and  treat  accordingly. 

Show  cockerels  and  pullets  should  now  be  penned  up  separ- 
ately and  receive  especial  care.  Commoiice  to  fatten  early 
hatched  January  chicks  not  fit  for  show  or  stock.  Feeding  the 
young  chicks  at  10  p.m.  may  now  be  abandoned,  but  soft  sweet 
food  and  handfuls  of  grain  should  be  placed  about  in  the  even- 
ing after  the  chicks  are  gone  to  bed,  to  be  ready  for  the  early 
morning. 

ARTIFICIAL  INCUBATION.    , 

Practised  from  the  earliest  times  in  the  East  chiefly  in  China, 
India,  and  Egypt.  In  the  latter  country  large  mamaU,  or  ovens, 
holding  from  40,000  to  80,000  eggs,  are  still  used  for  the  pur- 
pose; and  the  villagers  bring  their  eggs  in  the  expectation  of 
receiving  after  a  lapse  of  21  days,  200  chicks  for  every  300  eggs 
deposited.  In  1851  Cantelo  exhibited  a  hydro-incubating  ma- 
chine in  London,  and  the  subject  of  artificial  incubation  has 
occupied  much  attention  in  France  from  that  time  to  this. 
Rouillier's  and  Voitellier's  machines  have  there  taken  the  lead, 
while  quite  recently  in  England  the  matter  has  been  taken  up 
with  more  or  less  success  by  several  competitors  for  publia 
taror. 


48  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

The  chief  desiderata  in  artificial  incubation  are  a  regular  tern- 
perature — from  100°  to  106°  Fahr.  at  the  upper  surface  of  the 
eggs — moisture,  and  after  the  tenth  day  adequate  ventilation 
(without  chilling)  of  the  eggs.  The  source  of  heat  is  immaterial 
so  long  as  these  essentials  are  secured;  pratically,  however,  a 
lamp,  or  gas,  and  boiling  water  are  utilised  for  the  purpose. 

The  choice  between  a  gas  or  lamp  machine  and  one  worked 
by  boiling  water  will  be  probably  determined  by  the  greater  or 
less  facility  with  which  boiling  water  in  quantity,  say  two  or  three 
gallons,  night  and  morning,  can  be  obtained.  Excellent  results 
have  been  secured  by  both  systems,  and  75  per  cent,  and  up- 
wards may  be  hatched  out  by  either  method  with  reasonable 
care  and  attention  to  detail.  The  chief  points  to  be  attended  to 
in  artificial  incubation^are: — 

i.  Position  of  incubator:  an  out-house,  conservatory,  or  room 
on  the  ground  floor  is  best,  where  there  is  an  equable  tempera- 
ture, good  ventillation,  and  no  risk  of  jar. 

ii.  Let  the  eggs  be  as  fresh  as  possible:  allow  travelled  eggs 
to  settle  for  twenty-four  hours  before  placing  in  the  incubator. 

iii.  Avoid  putting  eggs  in  the  drawers  by  twos  and  threes, 
as  far  as  possible;  if  unavoidable,  warm  the  eggs  well  at  104°  to 
105O  Fahr. 

iv.  Aim  at  a  regular  temperature  of  103°  increasing  after  9th  day 
to  104°  Fahr. ;  with  high-bred  eggs  a  degree  higher  is  an  advantage 
towards  the  close  of  hatching.  Occasional  extremes  of  90°  Fahr.  or 
even  108°  Fahr.  have  been  borne  with  impunity,  but  safety  lies  be- 
tween 100°  and  106°.  Over-heating  is  more  dangerous  than 
under-heating. 

v.  Clean  the  eggs  well;  mark  them  on  one  side  with  date, 
&c,  rather  nearer  the  smaller  end,  and  place  the  eggs  date 
downwards,  for  the  first  twenty-four  hours;  your  marks  will 
then  be  preserved,  when  the  chick  is  hatched. 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  40 

▼1 .  Keep  the  trays  of  earth  or  sand  always  moistened  be- 
neath the  eggs,  but  avoid  sprinkling  the  eggs  themselves  with 
water. 

vii.  Turn  the  eggs  slightly  every  twelve  hours.  Air  them 
during  the  first  ten  days  for  ten  minutes  at  night  and  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  in  the  morning;  for  the  last  eleven  days  allow  twenty 
minutes  in  the  morning  and  fifteen  minutes  in  the  evening. 

viii.  Sixth  day  examine  all  eggs,  and  reject  those  which  do 
not  show  embryo  and  distinct  veining;  the  clear  eggs  are  still 
fresh  for  cooking  even  for  custards. 

ix.  After  the  ninth  day  air  is  required  by  the  chicks,  but 
chills  must  be  avoided,  especially  when  nearing  the  last  stage 
of  incubation. 

x.  When  eggs  at  different  stages  of  development  are  in  the 
same  drawer,  it  may  be  well  to  reserve  one  portion  for  those 
last  put  in,  and  to  cover  them  with  a  flannel,  whilst  those  in  a 
more  advanced  stage  are  aired  more  freely. 

At  five  or  six  weeks,  according  to  the  weather,  chicks  do 
better  without  artificial  heat,  and  a  run  on  grass  or  dry  earth 
beds  when  the  sun  is  shining  will  be  found  most  beneficial  to 
health. 

A  late  vinery  with  earth  floor  Is  one  of  the  best  places  for 
rearing  early  chickens.  Great  care,  however,  will  be  required 
if  many  are  bred,  to  keep  the  earth  fresh  dug.  Cleanliness  also 
is  essential,  especially  in  the  mothers,  which  should  be  well 
aired  daily,  as  well  as  being  provided  with  a  fresh  earth  floor. 
A  little  disinfectant,  such  as  carbolic  acid  or  terebene,  will  often 
be  a  useful  addition. 

ARTIFICIAL  REARING. 

The  chick,  after  leaving  the  egg  in  an  incubator,  may  be 
either  placed  with  a  hen  or  be  brought  up  under  one  of  th* 


50  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

many  artificial  mothers  which  have  been  invented  for  the  pur- 
pose. In  some  machines  the  mothers  are  attached  to  the  incu- 
bator. A  hot  water  bottle  suspended  by  flannel  in  an  open  box 
forms  a  cheap  and  useful  arrangement  for  infant  broods.  A 
well-snstained  heat  of  about  80°  Fahr.  is  essential  for  the  first 
week  at  least,  as  a  chill  is  fatal;  after  that  time  it  may  be  ten 
degrees  lower."  The  run  should  not  be  large  at  first,  and  should 
be  protected,  by  wire  or  netting,  from  the  access  of  older  birds. 
The  broods  should  be  carefully  sorted  under  different  mothers 
as  to  size,  and  the  greatest  cleanliness  insisted  upon.  For 
twenty-four  to  thirty-six  hours  after  leaving  the  eggs  the  chicks 
requires  no  food.  It  may  stand  in  the  midst  of  plenty,  but  it 
will  not  peck  or  do  any-thing  but  pipe.  If  healthy,  it  will  begin 
to  pick  when  hungry ;  a  little  tapping  on  the  floor,  however,  or 
showering  crumbs  on  the  backs  of  the  chicks  will  excite  the  morr 
backward  ones  to  help  themselves. 

The  first  food  shculd  be  hard-boiled  eggs,  chopped  fine  and 
milk,  to  which  may  be  added  fine  shreds  of  lean  meat  or  bread- 
crumbs, 

ASIATIC  BREEDS. 

Comprise  the  various  kinds  of  Cochins,  the  light  and  dark 
Brahmas,  Malays,  Langshans,  &c.  They  have,  as  a  rule,  fea- 
thered legs,  and  lay  rich  chocolate  or  yellow  eggs,  small  as 
compared  with  the  size  of  the  birds.  They  bear  confinement 
well,  have  no  taste  for  roaming,  and  are  of  a  phlegmatic  nature. 
They  lay  in  winter,  but  the  supply  is  limited,  owing  to  their 
constant  desire  to  incubate.  Of  a  contented  turn  of  mind,  they 
are  willing  to  keep  within  the  limits  marked  out  by  a  wire 
fence  two  feet  high.  As  mothers  they  are  devoted,  but  exceed- 
ingly clumsy,  and  woe  betide  the  newly-hatched  chick  caught 
beneath  the  weighty  tread.    One  great  advantage  of  their  Asiatic 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  51 

fowl  as  hatching-machines  is  that  they  harbour  no  lice  or  ver- 
min; they  are  gentle  and  easy  to  handle.  Chicks  of  these 
breeds  feather  very  slowly,  especially  if  hatched  late  in  season, 
or  the  produce  of  youner  pullets'  eggs. 

ASIATIC  DISEASES. 

Various  liver  derangements,  over-feeding  being  the  cause; 
Scaly  Leg;  Apoplexy. 

ASPECT  OF  RUNS  AND  PENS. 

Build  them  as  ' 'lean-to's"  against  a  wall  where  there  is  a 
chimney  running  up,  constantly  in  use  if  possible;  this  is  far 
better  than  stove  heat,  and  let  the  aspeet  be  south.  Catch  every 
ray  of  sun.  Keep  the  roof  as  high  as  possible  in  front,  so  as  to 
let  in  all  the  light;  shelter  by  judicious  use  of  boarding  from 
wind,  and,  above  all  from  cold  draughts. 

ASPHALT.-FLOORING. 

The  original  soil  is  as  good  as  anything  for  the  flooring  of  e 
poultry-house.  If  pulverised  and  screened  lime  rubble  from  old 
wails  and  buildings  be  thrown  on  the  earth,  and  all  is  kept 
clean,  and  well  dug  over  after  cleansing  twice  a  week,  it  makes 
a  soft,  dry  and  deep  bed  of  the  best  possible  dusting  material; 
but  asphalt  is  also  useful:  it  keeps  out  rats,  and,  if  covered  with 
six  inches  of  sand  and  rubble  screenings  mixed,  forms  an  excel- 
lent flooring;  it  must,  however,  be  entirely  cleaned  out  every 
two  months  or  so,  and  fresh  dusting  material  supplied. 

ATROPINE. 

Used  in  severe  cases  of  roup.  Apply  a  drop  to  the  eye  if  mat- 
ter begins  to  accumulate. 

AUGUST. 

Many  early  birdg  will  be  making  their,  adult  plumage  now, 
and  it  will  be  possible  to  estimate  which  are  the  specimens  to 
gain  credit  in  the  show-pen.     Proceed  accordingly,  and  remove 


53  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

such  birds  into  the  preparing  pens.  Each  cockerel  should  have 
one  to  himself,  -with  ample  room,  or  if  dull  alone,  put  with  him 
a  known  companion  younger  than  he  is,  but  not  one  for  show, 
just  to  keep  him  company.  Kill  or  draft  out  of  the  way  all 
wasters,  and  devote  all  energy  to  the  prize  birds  and  those  which 
will  come  for  sale  as  stock  birds. 

Pullets  can  be  kept  in  small  flocks,  as  they  never  quarrel,  but 
not  more  than  ten  together,  unless,  the  enclosed  covered  runs  are 
very  extensive.  Prize  birds  and  stock  must  not  be  allowed  to 
scuffle  and  scrimmage  for  their  food  like  farm-yard  mongrels; 
full  diet  is  necessary,  and  fighting  must  not  be  tolerated  when 
birds  are  bred  for  feather,  weight,  &c. 

Early  cases  of  moult  in  cocks  should  be  seen  to,  and  the  birds 
isolated  where  hens  do  not  worry.  If  sudden  moult  and  general 
loss  of  feathers  takes  place  there  is  no  cause  for  anxiety;  it  is 
better  then  a  tedious  moult  later  in  the  year. 

Continue  weeding  and  killing;  the  more  room  gained  the 
better. 

Take  steps  to  procure  ducks'  eggs  to  hatch  in  October.  They 
are  always  difficult  to  procure  at  that  time,  and  it  is  well  to  be- 
speak them  beforehand. 

AWARDS. 

The  young  poultry  fancier  should  not  be  discouraged  if  he 
only  gets  honourable  mention;  true,  it  does  not  help,  as  do  prizes, 
to  pay  the  entrance  fees  and  carriage,  but  it  has  been  said,  with 
justice,  that  a  run  which  produces  specimens  which  win  honors 
wherever  shown  is  often  better  than  one  which  gains  several 
prizes  with,  it  may  be,  the  same  well  known  bird.  Let  him 
make  up  his  mind  to  be  beaten,  dress  his  birds  with  care,  and 
send  the  best  he  can;  and  then,  expecting  a  beating,  victory  may 
come  as  a  pleasant  surprise,  and  defeat  will  not  affect  him  other- 
wise than  to  urge  him  on  to  "try  again." 


»OtTLTRY  RECEIPTS.  58 

AYLESBURY  DUCKS. 

Hardiness,  great  size,  and  early  maturity  are  th«ir  merits. 
They  have  now  formidable  rivals  in  the  "Pekin"  breed  which 
exceeds  them  in  apparent  size,  but  does  not  beat  them  in  solid 
flesh  weight. 

Their  plumage  must  be  spotless  white,  yellow  legs,  and  beaks 
of  flesh  color;  weight  of  adult  birds  6  and  7  lbs.  They  have 
been  exhibited  up  to  20  lbs.  the  pair. 

For  breeding,  running  water  is  the  best,  and  failing  that,  a 
pond  is  indispensable.  They  commence  laying  in  December. 
The  color  of  the  egg  varies  from  green  to  cream  color. 

At  six  weeks  ducklings  should  be  4  lbs.  each  and  fit  for  table; 
the  ducks  should  always  have  gritty  substance  put  into  their 
water,  wherewith  to  purify  their  bills  and  help  them  to  digest 
their  food;  this  is  of  great  importance.  Ducklings  for  exhibition 
may  be  brought  up  with  more  water  to  swim  in  than  those  kept 
for  fattening;  their  houses  should  be  well  bedded  with  clean 
straw.  Feed  at  first  on  chopped  eggs,  milk,  oatmeal,  warm; 
then  with  oatmeal,  varied  with  barley-meal,  given  as  often  as 
they  are  willing  to  feed.  As  to  green  food,  the  supply  should 
be  unlimited.  It  is  not  well  to  let  food  remain  in  the  pans; 
however  often  you  feed  the  ducklings,  remove  what  remains,  so 
that  they  may  have  an  appetite  when  the  next  meal  hour  arrives. 
It  is  necessary  to  give  ducklings  the  means  of  collecting  worms 
and  slugs;  the  moment  they  are  old  enough  to  roam  for  this, 
their  natural  food,  they  will  be  the  better  for  it.  Dry  bedding 
is  essential,  and  warm  night  shelter;  otherwise  ducklings  will 
not  bear  the  cold  of  early  spring  days  without  injury. 

BARLEY. 

Good  uninjured  barley  should  be  a  staple  article  of  diet  in  the 
poultry-yard.    Buckwheat  is  preferable,  but  not  always  to  b© 


Si  f OtJlTRY  tifieEi^fs. 

had,  and  barley  is  a  safe  and  favorite  grain.  Damaged  cheap 
grains  must  not  be  ventured  upon.  Barley  warmed  in  a  tin  or 
pipkin  in  the  oven,  dry,  and  given  hot,  as  an  evening  meal  in 
cold  weather,  is  very  wholesome;  and  for  a  change,  if  with  water 
added  and  a  little  pepper  it  is  baked  till  it  swells  up  to  twice  the 
original  bulk,  it  forms  a  much  relished  dish. 

BARN-DOOR  FOWLS. 

To  the  present  day  many  amateur  poultry  lovers  continue  in 
the  old  and  popular  error,  that  barn-door  fowls  "pay"  better 
than  pure  breeds,  and  are  less  trouble  to  rear.  "Fancy"  fowls 
are,  without  a  thought,  voted  useless,  whereas  many  poultry- 
yards  fail  of  success  owing  to  the  mistake  of  starting  by  buying 
up  a  lot  of  mongrel  birds,  age  unknown.  Every  distinct  breed 
has  some  leading  characteristic,  for  which  in  the  past  it  has  been 
selected  and  bred :  it  is  prized,  and,  with  much  care,  bred  for 
either  size  or  hardihood,  for  laying  qualities,  as  good  mothers, 
or  as  super-excellent  table  fowls;  while  the  barn-door  is  not  re- 
markable for  any  speciality,  neither  producing  so  many  eggs  as 
the  Andalusian  or  Leghorn,  nor  beiner  so  well  flavored  as  the 
Game,  nor  so  white  and  full  of  meat  as  the  Dorking,  the  Hou- 
dan,  or  any  of  the  table  breeds,  nor  so  content  with  small  pens 
as  the  Asiatics :  in  fact,  even  from  a  commercial  point  of  view 
they  are  not  to  be  recommended,  and  are  a  mistake.  For  beauty 
certainly  no  one  would  select  them. 

BEDDING  FOR  CHICKS. 

Straw  put  through  the  chaff-cutting  machine  is  undoubtedly 
the  best,  but  on  no  account  give  it  uncut,  or  it  will  be  the  source 
of  broken  legs.  Care  must  be  taken  to  remove  the  soiled  straw 
and  to  replace  it  with  fresh  every  morning.  A  small  quantity 
changed  daily  is  far  better  than  a  deep  bed  left  uncleansed  for 
a  day  or  two.  Cleanliness  is  the  first  consideration;  sprinkle  the 
bed  with  powdered  sulphur  three  times  a  week,  to  keep  away 


f  OtJLTRT  RECEIPTS.  55 

▼ermin.  No  bedding  should  be  given  to  birds  put  up  for  fatten- 
ing. The  coop  in  this  case  should  have  a  barred  floor,  so  that 
the  dirt  shall  not  rest  upon  it.  Otherwise,  in  such  a  small  space 
the  birds  will  quickly  suffer  from  bad  air  and  dirt. 

BENZINE. 

Good  for  cleaning  accidental  paint  off  the  feathers,  which  it 
will  not  injure. 

BLACK   HAMBURGHS. 

Of  the  Hamburgh  tribe  the  best,  being  larger,  and  laying  an 
egg  of  more  useful  size.  They  are  non-sitters,  being  crossed 
with  Spanish;  white  face  crops  up,  and  is  a  difficulty  in  breeding. 
Chicks,  when  hatched,  are  from  the  throat  downwards  to  the 
under  part  of  the  body  white,  the  rest  black.  It  is  only  after  the 
second  moult  that  their  glorious  plumage  of  green  black  glossy 
hue  is  perfected.  These  birds  are  delicate ;  damp,  dirt,  cold, 
and  improper  food  bring  on  liver  disease.  They  do  not  thrive 
in  confined  pens,  and  it  is  unwise  to  attempt  breeding  them 
unless  you  can  give  a  grass  run. 

Points. — Beak  black  or  horn;  comb,  face,  and  wattles  rich  red; 
deaf-ears  white;  eyes  red:  legs  blue  lead  color;  plumage  deep 
black,  brilliant  gloss  of  metallic  green  or  bluish  purple:  the 
greener  the  better;  comb  double  and  evenly  serrated. 
BLACK*  ROT. 

A  disease  to  which  Spanish  fowls  are  subject,  but  not  often 
seen  now.  The  comb  becomes  black  and  the  legs  swell,  with 
general  pining  and  loss  of  spirits,  flesh,  and  gloss.  Calomel  and 
castor-oil  should  first  be  given,  and  then  generous  diet,  with 
tonic  and  warmth,  may  pull  the  bird  through. 

BONE-DUST. 

Very  beneficial  for  the  feeding  of  growing  birds  up  to  five  or 
six  months  of  age,  a  preventive  of  weak  legs  and  diarrhoea;  an 


56  POtJLTAT  RECEIPT*. 

aid  also  in  postponing  the  development  of  young  birds,  while 
it  provides  materials  needful  for  continuous  growth,  and 
gives  strength  and  size  to  the  frame.  It  should  be  about  the 
fineness  of  coarse  oatmeal,  and  should  be  sifted  into  and  with 
the  meals  used,  in  the  proportion  of  1  quartern  to  the  cwt.  Fresh 
bones  chopped  and  pounded,  or  burnt  bones,  are  not  so  useful 
for  the  above  purposes  as  they  are  for  laying  stock  or  for  birds 
of  an  age  for  exhibition. 

BRAN. 
A  few  handfuls  should  be  mixed  with  soft  food,  as  it  is  deei 
dedly  wholesome,  though  not  a  favorite  poultry  diet. 

BREAST-BONE  CROOKED  OR  BREAKING, 
This  is  caused  by  perches  being  placed  too  high  from  the 
ground  when  the  roosting-place  is  of  small  size.  Objections  are 
made  to  letting  chickens  roost  early,  but  little  harm  will  come 
of  it  if  the  perches  are  at  a  proper  height.  It  is  the  perpendi- 
cular sudden  flight  to  the  ground  in  a  confined  space  which  in- 
jures and  breaks,  or  bends,  the  tender  breastbone.  In  limited 
space,  and  with  chickens  brought  up  in  confinement,  shelves, 
sanded,  and  then  littered  with  chopped  straw,  are  safeguards 
against  this  evil. 

BREEDING  COCKS. 

Must  be  vigorous  during  December,  January,  and  February. 
Feed  them  extra  well,  and  alone.  They  should  be  examined 
when  perching  at  night,  and  if  poor  must  be  at  once  fed  up ; 
they  should  not  exhibited,  and  the  breeding-pens  should  be 
made  up  by  Christmas  time,  as  the  cocks  become  attached  to 
their  special  hens,  and  changes  affect  the  fertility  of  eggs. 

BREEDING  IN  AND  IN- 

Less  dangerous  than  a  constant  introduction  of  fresh  blood 
into  an  already-formed  prize  strain;  but  judgment  must  be  used, 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  51 

and  in  a  tolerably  large  establishment,  where  the  hens  are  kept 
away  from  the  cocks  during  moult,  and  re-mated  in  December, 
arrangements  can  be  made  not  to  mate  too  nearly-related  birds, 
without  recourse  yearly  to  purchases  from  a  fresh  yard.  It  is 
well  to  keep  a  spare  cockerel  or  two  in  stock,  and  let  them  run 
on  some  farm,  and  re-introduce  them  the  following  year  into 
your  breding-pen,  when  the  relationship  cannot  produce  evil 
l-csults.  If  only  one  pen  or  yard  of  poultry  is  kept,  the  results 
of  mating  the  produce  from  it  may  be  most  unsatisfactory,  and 
a  fresh  cock  becomes  a  necessity. 

BREEDING-PEN  FOR  DUCKS. 
Four  ducks  are  ample  to  one  drake.  Ducks  may  be  bred  in  a 
small  pen,  where  there  is  merely  a  tank  of  water  4  feet  by  2,  and 
2  feet  deep.  Many  of  the  eggs,  however,  will  be  unfertile.  For 
success  on  a  large  scale  a  good-sized  pool  of  water  is  essential. 
The  birds  should  have  the  run  of  a  field.  Care  should  be  taken 
not  to  overfeed  breeding  ducks;  and  if  early  eggs  be  required 
meat  diet  must  be  given,  and  warm  quarters  at  night. 

BREEDS  FOR  CROSSING. 

Never  cross  with  a  bird  which  is  already  the  production  of  a 
crossed  breed.  First  crosses  are  the  most  satisfactory,  and  take 
care  that  the  cock  chosen  for  th*  cross  is  full-sized,  symmetrical, 
short-legged,  with  fine  bones,  p'ump  breast,  and  strong  consti- 
tution. The  cock  of  the  walk  should  be  purs-bred.  "White 
Dorking  with  light  Brahma,  or  silver-grey  with  dark  Brahma, 
produce  good  large  birds,  and  well  fitted  for  fattening  for  the 
table,  while  the  Dorking  improves  the  Cochin's  laying  power. 
For  laying  purposes,  the  Brahma  crossed  with  an  Andalusian 
cock  cannot  be  surpassed,  and  a  propensity  .V  sit  is  added  to  the 
Andalusian' s  laying  qualities. 

The  Houdan  crossed  with  Brahma  or  Co\hin  matures  early, 
and  becomes  a  prolific  layer.     For  tab'o  use  thr,  darl*  Brahma 


58  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

and  Creve-cceur  are  good.  The  Creve-cceur  is  excellent  as  a 
layer,  and  its  size  for  table  and  early  maturity  can  hardly  be 
surpassed;  but  constitution  and  hardihood  may  be  added  by  the 
Brahma  or  Cochin  cross.  The  flesh  of  Malay  and  Game  fowls 
is  said  to  be  of  super-excellent  delicacy.  To  increase  the  amount 
of  flesh  cross  with  grey  Dorkings,  when  an  excellent  plump 
table  fowl  will  be  produced,  the  couple  weighing  when  fed  up 
from  16  lbs.  to  18  lbs.  The  advantage  of  a  cross  is  that  the 
produce  is  usually  hardy  and  larger  than  the  parent  birds. 

BROKEN  BONES. 

Machines  may  be  had  for  breaking  bones  from  the  kitchen 
into  small  pieces.  Such  fare  is  excellent  for  the  growing  stock, 
and  will  encourage  laying  in  the  adult  birds;  but  it  does  not 
take  the  place  of  bone  dust,  mixed  with  meal,  which  retards 
development  and  forms  bone  and  framework,  while  fresh  bones 
stimulate  laying  powers,  etc. 

BROODY  HENS. 

When  broody,  i.  e.,  wishing  to  sit,  hens  go  about  clucking  for 
several  days,  sit  longer  and  longer  on  the  nest  after  laying,  cease 
laying  finally,  and  do  not  leave  the  nest.  If  a  sitting  hen  is  not 
required,  remove  her  at  once  to  a  fresh  run  and  new  companions. 
Shut  her  out  for  a  few  days  where  no  nests  may  tempt  her.  If, 
on  the  other  hand,  she  is  required  to  incubate,  encourage  her  by 
false  eggs  in  the  nest,  and  partially  protect  the  entrance  to  th« 
nest  from  other  prying  hens.  All  Asiatics  are  much  given  to 
sitting,  and  Dorkings  are  good  mothers.  No  hen  even  crossed 
with  Spanish,  Leghorn,  Hamburgh,  or  Polish  blood  will  incubate 
satisfactorily.  The  broody  hens  should  be  fed  once  daily  on 
sound  grain,  some  grass  or  lettuce,  and  a  treat  of  scraps;  soft 
food  now  and  again  keeps  her  in  better  condition  than  an  exclu- 
sively grain  diet.  On  no  account  deprive  the  broody  hen  of  her 
dust-bath,  and  if  your  brood  is  valuable,   take  the  trouble  to 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  69 

dredge  her  under  wings,  legs,  etc.,  with  powdered  sulphur. 
BUCKWHEAT. 

Buckwheat  should  be  a  staple  article  of  corn  diet.  The  color 
is  a  drawback  till  the  birds  learn  to  recognise  it  as  food,  when 
it  is  greedily  devoured.  It  is  not  fattening  like  maize,  but 
good  for  stimulating  egg  production.  This  grain,  as  prepared 
in  Russia  for  the  use  of  lower  classes,  cleared  of  the  husk,  and 
split  up  into  coarse  grit,  is  invaluable  for  feeding  chickens;  it  is 
devoured  greedily  at  three  days  old,  and  eaten  in  preference  to 
the  best  cutlings  or  grits.  Baked  in  the  oven  with  water,  it 
makes  a  most  valuable  soft  food,  and  is  much  relished  by  old 
and  yonng. 

BUENOS  AYRES  DUCKS. 

Called  also  Black  East  Indian,  Labrador,  or  Black  Brazilian. 
For  prize- winning  they  must  be  very  small,  with  neat  round 
heads,  short  bills,  short  bodies;  plumage  pure  black,  with  bril- 
liant lustrous  sheen  of  green  all  over.  This  metallic  green  lus- 
tre cannot  be  too  great,  or  the  size  too  small.  The  bill  olive 
green,  the  legs  and  feet  black.  Easy  to  breed,  for  if  you  do  but 
start  with  a  good  pair,  the  produce  will  be  good;  but  the  smaller 
you  breed  them  the  more  delicate  they  become,  and  less  prolific. 
They  are  most  excellent  table  birds,  of  delicious  flavor,  and  are 
often  bred  for  this  purpose  in  numbers,  though  they  are  also 
great  favorites  in  the  exhibition  pen. 

BUTTERMILK. 

Buttermilk  is  excellent  for  poultry;  but  do  not  let  it  stand  in 
the  sun,  as  it  is  very  unwholesome  if  sour. 

BUYING  POULTRY  AND  EGGS. 

Buy  none  to  mate  with  prize  strains  without  careful  investi- 
gation of  the  antecedents  of  the  yard  and  strain.  Have  the 
birds  on  approval;  even  if  the  carriage  both  ways  costs  $3. 00 it  is 


60  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

well  spent  if  it  saves  an  introduction  which  may  bring  nothing- 
but  trouble,  and  spoil  the  strain.  Strangers  to  your  poultry  run 
and  your  breeding  plans  may,  without  any  dishonesty  or  unfair 
dealing,  send  what  would  ruin  your  plans.  Therefore  see  your 
birds  before  you  buy.  Be  careful  how  you  feed  newly-bought 
birds;  give  soft  food  and  sparingly  of  dry  grain  at  first,  gradu- 
ally increasing  the  quantity;  esohew  maize  and  new  wheat, 
which  may  bring  on  various  troubles.  In  buying  eggs  for  incu- 
bation early  in  the  season,  make  special  terms  as  to  the  date  by 
which  eggs  ordered  are  to  be  delivered. 

Do  not  purchase  eggs  for  incubation  in  the  two  first  months 
of  the  year  without  some  arrangement  about  "clear"  eggs  being 
replaced  by  others  at  one-half  or  one-third  price.  Many  eggs 
are  then  unfertile,  and  most  breeders  will  replace  at  half-price 
if  a  decent  number  of  chicks  do  not  hatch  out.  See  that  your 
eggs,  if  valuable,  come  from  known  respectable  breeders,  re- 
membering that  one  good  shake  given  to  the  egg  when  bring- 
ing it  from  the  nest  may  ruin  every  hope  of  successful  incu- 
abtion. 

CABBAGE. 

A  useful  vegetable  in  winter  for  poultry.  It  comes  fourth  on 
the  list.  Even  the  outer  leaves  and  stems  will  be  greedily 
picked  up  if  they  are  chopped  up  in  a  chopper.  Stalks  of  cab- 
bage should  not  be  left  about,  as  they  give  a  very  offensive 
smell  when  rotting  in  the  wet  and  sun.  Whole  cabbages  nailed 
or  tied  to  the  walls  of  the  pens  give  amusement  to  poultry  in 
confinement;  there  is  no  better  preventive  for  feather-eating, 
which  is  often  caused  by  the  idleness  of  an  imprisoned  life. 

CANKER. 

An  ulcerated  state  of  the  eyes  and  head  ;  the  disease  some- 
times attacks  the  mouth  and  throat.     It  comes  from  neglected 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  61 

cold,  and  damp,  improper  housing.  No  well-ordered  poultry 
yard  should  suffer  from  such  serious  ailments.  They  may  be 
relieved,  however,  by  washing  perseyeringly  with  chlorinated 
soda  diluted  with  four  parts  of  water,  and  dabbing  the  throat 
and  tongue  with  the  pure  solution.  Put  sulphur  in  the  food, 
do  not  expect  immediate  cure. 

CAPONS  AND  CAPONISING. 

The  weight  and  delicacy  of  birds  are  greatly  increased  by  this 
operation,  and  it  is  only  in  England  that  birds  are  fattened  for 
table  witnout  having  recourse  to  it.  The  proper  age  for  the 
operation  is  four  months;  it  is  not  considered  dangerous — about 
one  in  forty  succumbs.  Capons  will  remain  tender  for  table  up 
to  eighteen  months  of  age,  and  may  be  utilised  during  that  time 
by  bringing  up  broods  of  chickens,  to  which  they  become  as 
devoted  as  mothers. 

CARBOLIC  ACID. 

One  of  the  best.  Prepare  thin  lime-wash,  and  into  two  gallons 
put  two  ounces  of  acid  crystals,  with  which  let  all  be  white- 
washed. On  a  real  hot  summer's  day,  if  the  poultry  pens  are 
crowded  and  any  fear  of  vermin  should  arise,  it  is  well  to  turn 
the  birds  into  the  open  grass  run,  and  with  a  fine  rose  water-pot 
to  sprinkle  the  floors,  nests,  and  perches,  after  thoroughly 
sweeping  all  out,  with  the  same  mixture  made  of  double 
strength. 

CARE  OF  EXHIBITION  BIRDS  AT  HOME. 

Protect  their  plumage  from  every  risk  of  injury  through 
rough  or  broken  wires,  from  high  perches,  from  shelves  too 
near  the  wall  or  roof  of  the  roosting-house;  see  that  your  trap- 
doors are  smooth  at  the  bottom,  and  large  enough  to  admit  adult 
birds  without  touching  their  sickle  feathers;  never  let  the  pen 
remain  uncleaned  even  for  half  a  day.    Give   plenty  of  clean 


<J$  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

straw,  and  see  that  the  dusting  material  is  quite  clean  and  dry. 
t>o  not  let  birds  be  exposed  to  a  fierce  sun,  and  never  to  rain. 
Prevent  any  fights  or  sparring  between  neighbours  in  pens. 
Give  all  the  run  and  freedom  you  can  in  fine  weather.  Feed 
well  with  the  best  and  most  nourishing  food.  Give  meat  and 
green  food,  but  beware  of  excess,  and  never  leave  food  on  the 
ground.  Give  iron  in  the  water,  it  produces  brilliant  combs, 
and  is  a  tonic;  avoid  species  and  condiments.  Hemp  now  and 
then,  linseed  boiled  to  a  jelly  and  thickened  with  Spratt  or  oat- 
meal three  times  a  week  for  about  three  weeks  before  showing, 
will  add  to  gloss  on  plumage;  the  last  two  meals  before  showing 
should  be  rice  boiled  stiff  in  milk,  with  meat  chopped  up  in  it. 
Prepare  your  bird  for  the  confinement  of  a  small  pen  and  its 
trials  by  gradually  penning  him  up,  and  getting  him  accustomed 
to  small  quarters,  and  never  send  the  birds  off  crammed  with 
hard  grain  for  a  long  journey.  Get  the  pair  to  be  exhibited  ac- 
quainted with  each  other  during  the  last  twenty-four  hours, 
lest  they  should  fight  in  the  hamper  and  disfigure  their  combs; 
but  do  not  pen  the  exhibition  pullet  with  the  cockerel  till  the 
last  day.  Rather  give  him  any  other  bird  as  a  companion,  so  as 
to  accustom  him  to  ladies'  society,  and  save  the  wear  and  tear 
of  plumage  to  the  show  pullet  in  a  small  pen. 

CAROLINA    DUCK. 

These  birds,  with  their  brilliant  plumage,  bear  confinement 
well,  and  will  breed  satisfactorily  under  favorable  circumstances 
and  when  used  to  their  home.  They  should  be  about  the  size  of 
widgeons,  and  when  exhibited  brilliance  of  plumage  wins  the 
day.  The  drake  should  be  red  in  bill,  margined  with  black; 
orange-red  eyes;  head  bronze-green  shading  to  violet,  and  a  re- 
markable line  of  intense  white  runs  from  behind  and  over  the 
eye,  mixing  with  the  long  green-and- violet  colored  feathers  of 
the  crest.    The  neck  and  collar  white;  breast  claret,   speckled 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  63 

with  white,  size  of  specks  increasing  downwards.  The  sides 
of  the  body  under  the  wings  are  marked  with  black  lines  on 
yellow,  and  the  flanks  with  stripes  of  black  shaded  white;  tail- 
coverts  black  tinged  with  yellow.  The  back  is  a  bronze  with 
greenish  hue,  while  the  wings  are  adorned  with  spots  or  marks 
of  blue  and  green.  Legs  and  feet  a  reddish-yellow.  The  duck 
is  much  more  sombre  than  its  mate;  crest  smaller;  the  eye-b.ir. 
chin,  and  throat  all  white ;  head,  neck,  and  breast  shading  from 
dark  drab  to  brown,  spotted  white;  back  and  wings  glossy 
bronze,  with  gold  and  green  reflections,  and  less  brilliant  wing, 
spots  than  the  drake.  All  these  brilliant  colors  and  strong  con» 
trast  become  more  vivid  with  advanced  age. 
CATARRH. 

The  moment  cold  in  the  head  exhibits  itself  by  the  usual  signs 
of  sneezing  and  running  at  the  nose,  the  bird  should  be  removed 
to  a  dry,  draughtless  place,  nostrils  washed  with  vinegar  and 
water,  giving  every  third  day  two  teaspoonsful  of  caster  oil; 
diet — oatmeal  and  bread  in  hot  beer,  and  plenty  of  grass.  If  not 
soon  cured. 

CHANGE  OF  PLACE. 

Poultry  are  truly  domestic  and  love  their  homes.  If  eggs  are 
an  object,  it  is  most  important  birds  should  not  be  moved  from 
pen  to  pen,  as  it  will  delay  egg  production,  and  diminsh  it 
greatly.  Pullets  for  early  laying  should,  if  possible,  be  brought 
up  in  or  within  sight  of  their  future  laying  run,  or  pen,  if,  on  the 
other  hand,  it  is  wished  to  delay  the  laying  of  a  pullet,  and  to 
encourage  growth  for  prize  purposes,  her  home  must  be  changed 
often.  A  sitting  or  broody  hen  may  be  best  cured  by  removing 
her  to  a  new  scene  with  fresh  companions — a  more  reasonable 
and  humane  way  of  checking  her  maternal  instincts  than  that  of 
half  drowning  her,  or  shutting  her  up  in  darkness  or  dirt. 


64  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

GENERAL  TREATMENT  OF  CHICKENS. 

During  the  first  twenty-four  hours  give  no  food,  and  remove, 
till  all  are  hatched,  from  the  hen  or  incubator  to  a  box,  having 
ventilating  holes  bored  in  the  side,  and  a  hot  water-bottle  slung, 
by  means  of  coarse  flannel,  so  that  the  chicks  may  feel  the 
warmth  and  the  least  pressure  on  their  backs.  When  all  are 
hatched,  cleanse  the  nest  completely,  and  well  dredge  the  hen's 
body  with  sulphur  powder;  give  her  the  chicks,  and  place  chopped 
egg  and  breadcrumbs  within  reach.  The  less  they  are  disturbed 
during  the  first  two  or  three  days  the  better .  Warmth  is  essential, 
and  a  constantly  brooding  hen  is  a  better  mother  than  one  which 
fusses  the  infant  chicks  about  and  keeps  calling  them  to  feed 
Pen  the  hen  in  a  coop  and  let  the  chicks  have  free  egress.  The 
best  place  to  stand  the  coops  is  under  sheltered  runs,  guarded 
from  cold  winds,  the  ground  dry,  and  deep  in  sand  and  mortar 
siftings.  Further  warmth  is  unnecessary  if  the  mothers  are.  good; 
and  if  the  roof  is  of  glass,  so  as  to  secure  every  ray  of  sun,  so 
much  the  better.  Cleanliness  of  coops,  beds,  flooring,  water- 
vessels,  and  food-tins  must  be  absolute.  The  oftener  the  chicks 
are  fed  the  better,  but  food  must  never  be  left;  water  must  bt, 
made  safe,  or  death  from  drowning  and  chills  may  be  expecter. 
The  moment  weather  permits,  free  range  on  grass  for  sever~ 
hours  daily  is  desirable,  but  shelter  should  always  be  at  hand. 

Diet. — The  longer  the  supply  of  hard-boiled  eggs  chopped  fin, 
is  kept  up,  the  better.  As  the  birds  get  on,  every  kitchen-scrap 
is  invaluable,  and  the  following  mixtures  may  be  given  for 
meals  in  turn  as  convenient,  variety  being  essential  for  success, 
1st  meal:  as  early  as  possible — 6  a.  m. — egg  chopped,  mixed 
bread-crumbs.  2nd  meal :  Spratt  and  a  few  grains  of.  Scotch 
groats.  These  can  be  brought  at  the  corn-dealer's,  their  place  be- 
ing taken  by  pood  wheat  as  birds  get  on,  or  by  crushed  barley. 
3rd  meal:  kitchen-scraps  chopped  fine  in  a  chopper,  given  warm, 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  65 

and  mixed  to  a  crumbling  mass:  4th  meal:  rice  boiled  in  milk, 
and  dried  up  crumbly  with  Scotch  oatmeal.  5th  meal:  barley- 
meal  mixed  crumbly  with  the  liquor  in  which  meat  has  been 
boiled.  6th  meal;  meat  chopped  fine  and  pollard  reduced  to  crumbs 
(not  necessary  daily).  These  preparations  given  in  turn  and  with 
judgment  will,  with  occasional  handfuls  of  small,  dry  grain,  and 
barley  and  buckwheat  baked  with  water  in  the  oven,  give  the 
chickens  all  that  is  necessary  for  building  up  the  strong  frame- 
work which  is  so  essential  to  a  finely-developed  bird.  The  use  of 
bone-dust  must  not  be  omitted,  and  a  constant  supply  of  green 
food,  together  with  mortar,  oyster-shell,  gravel  and  all  manner 
of  grit  and  dust  should  be  ensured.  Pure  water,  not  left  to 
stagnate  or  freeze  or  to  get  hot  in  the  sun,  and,  if  possible,  milk 
occasionally,  will  render  the  diet  perfect;  chicks  so  kept,  the 
quantity  given  being  increased  with  their  size  and  appetite,  will 
be  found  at  four  months,  or,  at  any  rate,  at  five,  to  be  fit  for 
table  without  the  unhealthy  and  unpleasant  process  of  cram- 
ming; if  destined  for  the  show-pen,  they  will  be  ready  to  "go 
in"  for  the  further  care  and  preparation  needed  for  exhibition. 
At  this  age  cockerels  must  be  divided  from  pullets,  and  the 
chicken  period  may  be  considered  over. 

CHILLED  EGGS. 

The  moment  at  which  an  egg  is  fatally  chilled  is  not  certain. 
If  a  hen  is  off  her  nest  for  twenty  minutes  in  cold  February 
weather  the  eggs  will  be  chilled,  but  not  to  death.  Endeavor 
to  get  the  hen  on  in  ten  minutes  on  a  frosty  day,  or  cover  the 
eggs  with  a  layer  of  cotton-wool,  flannel,  or  even  hay.  Some 
hens  will  not  be  hurried,  and  to  try  it  will  only  bring  trouble. 
A  shorter  period  of  chilling  will  destroy  vitality  in  eggs  during 
the  first  stages  of  incubation  than  a  longer  period  when  the 
chicks  are  nearer  perfection.  The  first  thing  to  do  if  the  eggs 
are  chilled  is  not  at  once  to  force  the  hen  on  to  her  nest,  but  to 


66  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

immerse  the  eggs  in  warm  water  at  105°  or  even  107°.  Mean- 
time get  the  hen  back  on  to  some  false  eggs;  and  when  the 
chilled  ones  are  thoroughly  warmed  through,  replace  them 
under  the  mother.  Valuable  eggs  should  not  be  despaired  of 
even  if  the  hen  has  been  off  for  some  hours,  but  should  be 
treated  as  above,  and  next  day,  if  examined  with  aid  of  the  egg- 
tester  their  vitality,  if  it  is  not  destroyed,  will  be  clearly  seen. 
CHOICE  BETWEEN  DEFECTS. 
In  breeding-pens  it  is  at  times  necessary  and  politic  to  breed 
from  a  bird  which  may  have  a  marked  defect  as  a  show-bird. 
If  unable  to  procure  perfection,  choose  a  cock  which  is  quite 
free  from  that  particular  defect  from  which  the  hens  may  be 
suffering.  If,  i.  e.  ,  the  hens  black  Hamburghs  or  Andalusians 
have  red  splashes  on  their  ear-lobes  or  white  on  their  faces, 
choose  a  cockerel  of  very  good  strain  and  entirely  free  from  these 
evils  tomate  with  them,  even  though  his  color,  his  tail,  or  his  comb 
be  imperfect — rather  than  one  perfect  in  all  these  latter  points 
and  failing  in  the  former.  If  the  hens  are  meagre  in  comb, 
mate  with  a  male  bird  carrying  a  comb  large  to  a  fault.  If  the 
cockerels'  combs  are  coarse  and  large,  mate  with  hens  whose 
combs  are  extra  small,  and  so  on,  making  use  of  defects  to  pro- 
duce perfection. 

CHOLERA. 

Caused  by  want  of  fresh  water  and  green  food,  and  means  of 
sheltering  from  excessive  sun.  The  symptoms  are  those  of 
aggravated  diarrhoea,  great  weakness,  and  constant  thirst.  A 
tea-spoonful  of  caster  oil  with  five  drops  of  laudanum  should  be 
given,  or  5  grs.  of  Gregory's  powder,  in  place  of  the  castor-oil, 
with  the  same  dose  of  laudanum,  every  five  hours  till  the  diar- 
rhoea ceases.  Soft  food  with  cayenne  pepper,  fresh  green  food, 
and  as  little  water  as  possible.  The  bird  must  be  sheltered  from 
the  sun,  also  from  damp.    Such  severe  diseases  should  not  arise, 


POULTRY   RECEIPTS.  67 

they  come  from  mismanagement  and  neglect. 

COCKERELS. 

May  at  a  very  early  age  be  distinguished  from  pullets  by  the 
incipient  spur,  the  more  developed  comb,  and  tail-cushion.  At 
from  eight  weeks  to  twelve  remove  the  cockerels  from  the  pul- 
lets, and  keep  them  separate  for  six  months  at  least.  At  four 
months  weed  out  into  the  fattening  pens  or  yard  all  those  birds 
which  do  not  promise  for  exhibition  or  prize  stock,  and  treat  the 
fewremaining  accordingly.  Any  very  promising  bird,  if  obser- 
ved to  be  shy  aud  worried  by  more  advanced  or  pugnacious 
cockerels,  should  be  given  a  run  to  himself  with  a  few  compan- 
ions of  whom  he  is  not  afraid.  A  bully  in  the  cockerel  pen  is 
a  source  of  much  mischief,  as  he  prevents  valuable  birds  from 
feeding,  and  thus  getting  on  well.  Do  not  spare  bone-dust, 
lime,  oyster-shell,  green  food,  and  meat,  and  unlimited  range  to 
growing  birds  so  as  to  get  the  frame  and  bone  well  developed; 
the  fat  will  be  easily  put  ©n  afterwards.  Sound  grain  of  wheat, 
barley,  buckwheat,  or  Scotch  groats— as  much  as  will  be  picked 
up  clean — should  be  given,  and  for  soft  food  table  scraps, 
Spratt's  food,  oat  and  barley  meal;  these  will  keep  birds  in  good 
health,  glossy  and  firm  in  plumage. 

COCKS. 

Should  not  be  kept  over  their  third  year  for  breeding  unless 
of  especial  value.  Early  in  the  season  adult  cocks  are  not  lively, 
and  the  eggs  from  their  pens  are  not  as  a  rule  fertile. 

They  should  be  mated  with  pullets,  not  with  adult  hens.  During 
moult  remove  the  cocks  from  the  hens.  The  former  can  then 
live  together,  and  will  not  fight  if  they  have  free  range,  but  care 
must  be  taken  that  all  food  is  well  scattered,  or  placed  in  many 
pans,  that  all  should  feed  well.     To  insure  fertile  eggs,   cooks 


68  POULTRY   RECEIPTS. 

must  be  fed  apart  from  their  hens  when  mated  in  December, 
till  March,  as  their  gallantry  often  causes  them  to  go  on  short 
commons.  When  once  the  breeding  pens  are  made  up,  do  not 
change  the  cocks  about;  they  become  fond  of  the  hens,  and  it 
is  a  great  risk  disturbing  the  family  during  the  hatching  season. 
Some  cocks  are  very  sulky  and  even  savage  to  the  hens  during 
moulting  time;  if  this  is  perceived,  at  once  remove  the  bird  and 
give  him  a  pen  to  himself ;  he  requires  rest  and  good  stimulating 
food,  and  with  new  plumage  good  temper  will  return. 

COLDS. 

Generally  caught  by  birds  kept  in  damp  and  ill-ventilated 
houses.  First  symptoms  must  be  taken  in  hand  at  once,  as  an 
ordinary  cold  neglected  may  turn  to  roup.  The  first  sign  is 
sneezing  and  running  at  the  nose.  Isolate  the  bird  at  once, 
place  it  in  a  warm  draughtless  place,  wash  the  nostrils  with 
vinegar  and  water,  give  a  tablespoonful  of  castor-oil  to  a  very 
large  bird,  less  to  a  smaller,  feed  on  soft  food,  oatmeal  warmed 
in  beer,  or  bread  and  beer,  with  plenty  of  grass.  An  excellent 
thing  to  stop  the  running  at  the  nose  is  to  fill  the  nostril  with  a 
pinch  of  snuff.  Wash  the  face  well  in  warm  strong 
tea,  and  put  the  fowl  in  an  exhibition  basket,  out  of  draughts. 
A  pinch  of  Epsom  salts  may  also  help.  Colds  are  most 
catching. 

COLD  WEATHER. 

Frosty  cold  is  less  dangerous  than  damp;  to  insure  success  in 
poultry  keeping,  keep  houses  and  covered  runs  dry.  Let  the 
weather  be  ever  so  frosty  or  wet  the  birds  will  not  suffer  if 
allowed  free  run  in  the  day  for  some  hours,  provided  home 
shelter  be  perfectly  dry  and  free  from  draught.  Breeds  with 
excessive  comb  development,  *,  e.,  Minorcas,  Leghorns,  &c, 
during  hard  weather  should  have  lots  of  straw  about  in  the 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  99 

covered  run,  and  mats  should  be  nailed  up  to  shelter  from  keen 
east  winds.  Do  not  allow  birds  to  drink  snow  water,  and  it  is 
well  to  give  prize  stock  warm  water  in  their  tins  in  severe  frosts, 
it  keeps  unfrozen  longer;  and  is  more  comforting.  It  saves 
much  trouble  to  empty  out  all  water  vessels  in  severe  frost  at 
night.  Soft  food  should  of  course  be  given  warm  in  winter, 
and  the  grain  at  night  may  with  advantage  be  warmed  through 
in  the  oven  dry,  without  water;  the  birds  relish  it,  and  it  is  a 
source  of  warmth  and  comfort  through  the  long  winter  night. 

Hampers  for  exhibition  birds  should  have  an  extra  swathe  of 
scrubbing  flannel  put  round  them  in  severe  cold  weather,  allow- 
ing, however,  ventilation  at  the  top  of  the  hamper,  or  the  birds 
will  arrive  at  their  destination  with  blue  combs. 

Vaseline  rubbed  on  the  combs  of  breeds  subject  to  frost-bite  is 
an  excellent  preventive.  The  food  should  have  a  dash  of  red 
chillies,  black  pepper,  or  some  of  the  many  excellent  condiments 
advertised.  Some  stimulant  in  severe  weather  may  be  used  to 
advantage. 

COMBS,  THEIR  VARIETIES. 

Double  or  Rose  Comb,  as  in  White  Dorkings,  Black  Ham- 
burghs,  etc.,  etc.,  a  flat  square  comb,  wide  in  front  and  narrow- 
ing to  a  peak,  pointing  backwards,  evenly  serrated,  presenting 
an  even  surface  free  from  hollows  or  elevations.  Pea  Comb,  as 
in  Brahmas,  a  triple  or  ridged  comb,  the  middle  higher,  longer, 
and  thinner  than  the  side  ridges,  the  whole  being  firm,  of  mod- 
erate size,  and  firm  on  the  head.  Single  and  pendent  Comb,  a* 
in  Spanish,  Minorcas,  Andalusians,  Leghorns,  etc.,  etc.  The 
single  comb  is  upright,  quite  straight,  free  from  any  excresoen- 
ces,  fine  in  texture,  having  no  thumb-marks,  and  evenly  and 
regularly  serrated.  Pendant  combs  are  seen  in  hens  only  of 
the  last-named  breeds;  fine  smooth,  evenly  serrated,  without  side 
sprigs,  they  must  fall  gracefully  over  the  side  of  the  head  and 


70  POULTRY   RECEIPTS. 

face,  taking  a  slight  curve  to  one  side  before  falling  over  on  the 
other, 

COMMON   FOWLS. 

If  a  paying  poultry-yard  is  desired,  do  not  run  into  the  error 
of  purchasing  a  "few  common  fowls;"  and  if  poultry  are  kept 
"for  pleasure,'' this  will  not  be  attained  with  barndoor  mon- 
grels. Should  "a  few  common  fowls  for  eggs"  be  desired,  a 
cock  and  five  pullets  of  Andalusian,  Minorca,  or  Hamburgh 
breed  are  the  best,  and  such  birds  can  be  purchased  young  in 
July  from  any  of  the  well-known  breeders,  pure  and  true  to 
breed,  but  set  aside  by  them  as  not  perfect  enough  for  prize- 
stock  or  exhibition.  If  time  allows,  get  a  first-class  sitting  of 
eggs,  and  hatch  them  in  March;  you  will  then  have  a  pen  giving 
pleasure  to  the  eye,  and  more  paying  too  than  any  barndoor 
deteriorated  cross-breeds.  A  cheap  coop  for  the  common  cock 
and  five  pullets  can  be  made  out  of  a  very  large  sugar  hogshead, 
whitewashed  inside,  with  split  pine-tree  top  inserted  across  for 
a  perch,  and  a  pot  basket  hung  at  the  side  on  two  strong  hooks 
for  the  laying  nest.  Cover  the  cask  with  tarred  felt,  coming 
over  the  top  and  down  the  sides;  it  will  give  dryness  and  warmth. 
If  expense  is  no  object  a  dry  outer  shelter  is  to  be  desired,  and 
free  range. 

CONCRETE. 

Nothing  is  so  good  for  the  flooring  of  all  houses  as  the  original 
soil  over  which  they  are  built,  dug  up  and  mixed  with  screened 
mortar  rubble.  If  rats  abound,  it  is  advisable  to  concrete  the 
floors  of  roosting  places,  but  they  must  then  be  covered  deep  in 
screened  dusting  material  of  some  sort.  Birds  kept  on  concrete 
flooring  without  these  precautions,  however  well  swept  and 
cleaned,  will  not  flourish. 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  71 

CONDITION  TO  KEEP  BIRDS  IN. 

Thi*  depends  on  oonstant  attention  to  a  thousand  small 
details:  proper  diet,  clean  water,  and  perfect  cleanliness,  of 
course;  abundant  sand  and  mortar,  always  pure  and  dry;  grass 
runs,  which  must  be  kept  mown  if  for  feathered-legged  Asia- 
tics; perches  arranged  so  that  the  cocks'  tails  do  not  rub  and  get 
injured  against  the  walls,  entry  trap-doors  not  too  low  or  nar- 
row; covered  runs  available  so  that  in  wet  weather  the  birds 
have  light,  air,  and  space  to  scratch  amongst  dust  and  straw 
without  roaming  out  in  the  wet,  and  shelter  for  some  breeds 
from  the  scorching  midday  sun;  water-tins  arranged  so  that 
they  cannot  upset;  paint,  tar,  and  large  water-tubs  kept  out  of 
reach;  ducks  kept  out  of  the  poultry  runs;  fights  and  sparring 
through  wire  partitions  prevented ;  cleaning  of  the  poultry-houses 
done  first  thing  every  morning,  and  not  left  till  the  birds  have 
trampled  the  droppings  about  all  over  the  place.  If  birds  are 
to  be  caught  for  any  purpose,  or  counted,  it  must  be  done  at 
night  to  save  beating  about.  If  necessarily  done  in  daylight,  a 
piece  of  dark  cloth  drawn  over  the  window  will  enable  the  poul- 
try-man to  catch  the  birds  without  injury  or  fright.  When 
whitewashing,  put  grease  in  the  wash,  or  it  will  be  likely  to 
come  off  and  soil  the  plumage.  Laying  boxes,  or  hampers,  and 
nests  of  all  kinds  should  be  constantly  replenished  with  clean 
short  straw,  and  should  never  be  so  small  that  the  tail  and 
breast  feathers  rub  as  the  hen  turns  about.  All  partitions  and 
wire-work  to  be  kept  free  of  jagged  crooks  or  points.  Injured 
feathers  cannot  be  replaced  till  yearly  moult. 

BEST  BREEDS  FOR  CONFINEMENT. 

Decidedly  Andalusians  and  Minorcas.  They  can  be  kept  in 
high  condition,  lay  splendidly,  produce  fertile  eggs,  and  win 
priees  in  the  most  confined  space,  all  conditions  of  health  being 


1%  POULTRY   BBCEIPM. 

attendod  to;  but  the  smaller  the  space  the  greater  must  be  the 
labor  and  care  to  be  expended  upon  it  to  produce  any  great 
results.  Leghorns  are  good,  but  their  spirits  are  more  depressed 
than  the  Andalusians  by  penning  up.  Brahmas  and  Cochins  of 
all  classes  will  be  content  to  squat  all  their  lives  in  a  pen  a  few 
feet  square,  but  they  are  apt  to  grow  fat  and  diseased,  and  lose 
all  gloss;  and  when  not  eating  they  are  brooding,  and  neither 
occupation  fills  the  egg-basket;  they  are,  however,  most  tracta- 
ble, and  nothing  looks  handsomer  then  a  pen  of  Light  Brahmas 
confined  in  a  villa-garden  by  wire  two  feet  high  strained  round 
a  portion  of  lawn-grass:  it  will  effectually  keep  within  bounds 
these  models  of  contented  domesticity.  Andalusians  and  Mi- 
norcas  require  wire-fencing,  without  woodwork  at  the  top  to  rest 
their  feet  on,  at  least  seven  feet  high. 

COOKING  FOR  POULTRY. 

A  little  trouble  in  this  respect  will  be  amply  repaid  in  the 
poultry-yard.  Every  establishment  where  100  head  of  poultry 
are  kept  should  have  its  lock-up  food  store-room,  and  if  a  gas- 
stove  can  be  put  up  its  help  is  invaluable.  House-scraps  can  be 
regularly  brought  out  to  the  food-house  hot  from  the  kitchen  by 
8  a.  m.,  and  with  boiling  (not  cold)  water  let  meals  of  all  sorts 
in  turn  be  mixed  with  the  scraps  till  it  forms  a  crumbling  mass. 
All  food  for  ducklings  is  better  given  warm  than  cold,  chickens 
also  appreciate  their  milk  and  their  porridge  with  the  chill  off. 
Liver  given  raw  is  not  palatable,  but  if  put  in  water  over  the 
gas-stove  for  ten  minutes,  and  chopped,  hot  with  Spratt,  and 
thrown  to  the  birds  in  pellets,  it  is  greedily  devoured,  and  more 
good  is  got  out  of  it.  Grain  baked  in  the  oven  dry,  and  given 
warm  to  the  birds,  is  very  good  in  the  winter-time. 


POULTRY    RECEIPT*.  7$ 

CORN. 

The  best  staple  foods  are,  1st,  buckwheat;  2nd,  wheat;  Srd, 
barley.  Hemp  may  be  given  occasionally;  and  as  for  Indian 
corn,  it  is  bettar  to  give  none  than  to  give  constantly,  it  is  much 
too  fattening  for  laying  or  breeding  stock.  It  is  of  great  advan- 
tage to  give  a  change.  Buckwheat  promotes  laying,  aud  is  also 
good  if  birds  are  poor  and  out  of  condition;  for  young  birds  it  is 
excellent,  and  being  smaller  and  more  fattening,  it  comes  before 
barley.  Hemp  must  not  be  given  regularly,  being  to  heating;  if 
persevered  with  it  will  cause  loss  of  feathers,  but  it  is  a  neces- 
sary help  in  preparing  birds  for  shows.  Do  not  be  persuaded  to 
buy  "sweepings,"  or  "poultry  mixtures,"  or  "poultry  grain;" 
these  preparations  are  simply  injured  grain  of  all  sorts  mixed  up 
together,  some  a  little  and  some  very  seriously  damaged,  so  as 
to  be  unfit  for  food,  but  in  the  bulk  it  is  hard  to  find  this  out. 
It  has  another  disadvantage :  you  cannot  give  your  fowls  change 
of  grain,  which  is  most  beneficial.  Sound,  good  grain  is  always 
economical  in  the  end,  care  being  taken  not  to  leave  it  on  the 
ground,  but  to  feed  in  moderation,  so  that  not  a  grain  is  lost. 
Oats  are  not  much  relished  by  poultry,  having  too  much  husk; 
they  are  altogether  the  least  profitable  grain,  though  cheapest. 

CRAMMING. 

Ordinary  cramming  or  fattening  such  as  it  is  possible  for  the 
amateur  to  carry  out  is  simple.  In  a  shady  and  cool  outhouse 
or  shed,  the  stall  of  a  disused  stable  or  cow-house,  or  a  poultry- 
house,  confine  the  birds  for  fattening,  six  or  eight,  according  to 
the  size  of  the  enclosure.  Sand  the  floor  deeply,  keep  clean,  give 
little  light,  and  feed  with  soft  food  three  times  daily,  with  as 
much  as  the  birds  will  consume  without  leaving  any  behind. 
In  this  case  liquid  food  cannot  be  given,  though  highly  thought 
of.    Buckwheat,  maize,  oatmeal,  and  barley-meal  are  all  excel- 


74  POULTBY  KECEIPfS. 

lent  mixed  with  half-and-half  milk  and  water,  not  too  dry. 
Birds  for  this  purpose  should  be  about  four  months  old,  and 
they  should  be  ready  in  a  month  at  the  outside.  Perfect  quiet 
and  cleanliness  are  needful,  and  as  soon  as  fattening  is  com- 
pleted they  should  after  twelve  hours'  fast,  be  killed.  If  kept 
too  long  after  the  process  is  complete,  emaciation  and  sickness 
set  in,  and  the  work  is  undone.  The  French  process  of  cram- 
ming by  machinery  is  too  complex  and  lengthy  to  enter  upon 
here,  and  any  one  intending  to  carry  it  out  should  study  some 
of  the  larger  works  on  poultry. 

Another  simple  mode  of  cramming  consists  of  confining  the 
birds  each  in  a  coop,  with  floor  of  round  bars,  through  which 
the  droppings  fall  and  can  be  cleared  away  daily;  three  times  a 
day  take  them  out  and  force  pellets  of  milk-mixed  meal  dipped 
in  water  till  the  crop  is  full.  If  digestion  has  not  cleared  the 
crop  out,  a  meal  must  be  missed.  Do  not  confine  the  birds 
where  they  can  see  or  hear  their  fellows.  Perfect  coolness,  quiet, 
and  shade  to  semi-darkness  is  needful. 

CRAMP. 

No.  1.  If  in  the  legs,  foment  or  stand  the  bird  in  hot  water, 
bandage  with  flannel  strips  half  an  inch  or  one  inch  wide,  accor- 
ding to  size,  and,  put  it  in  a  dry,  warm  greenhouse,  with  a  sandy, 
gravel  bed,  and  straw-chaff  litter.     Give  tonics  in  the  water. 

No.  2.    Rub  the  legs  with  hot  oil,  turpentine,  or  camphor. 

No.  3.  Wrap  in  flannel,  and  keep  by  a  fire  at  night;  give  free 
dry  run  by  day,  diet  ample  and  nutritious,  with  meat.  For  a 
chick  three  months  old,  opium  (quarter  grain)  three  times  daily 
is  a  help. 

SITTING  HEN  CRAMPED. 

Rheumatic  or  gouty  hens  only  are  subject  to  this;  they  cannot 
stand  when  they  get  off  the  nest.    Give  four  drops  of  sal-volatile 


POULTRY  RECEIPT8.  75 

occasionally;  rub  legs  with  turpentine  and  oil  daily. 

CROOKED  BREASTS. 

The  usual  theory  as  to  crooked  breast-bones  is  that  they  are 
caused  by  giving  perches  to  chickens  too  early  in  life,  or  by  the 
perch  being  too  large  or  too  narrow.  Experience  shows,  how- 
ever, that  crooked  breast-bones  are  found  if  the  strain  is  a 
weakly  one  and  wanting  in  constitutional  vigor,  or  if  the  birds 
are  pampered  and  brought  up  at  high  pressure,  in  confined  and 
over-crowded  pens,  where  stimulating  condiments  and  excess 
of  feeding  takes  the  place  of  free  range,  fresh  air,  and  ample, 
nutritious  food.  White  Dorkings  brought  up  with  and  treated 
in  all  respects  like  their  companions,  Andalusians,  suffered  (un- 
der my  care)  with  this  weakness,  while  the  Andalusians,  treble 
their  number,  showed  not  a  single  example  of  this  evil.  High 
perches  in  a  small  roosting-house,  where  birds  have  no  space  to 
make  a  sweep  which  they  would  in  freedom  take  from  the  high- 
est tree  without  injury,  are  highly  mischievous,  and  cannot  be 
condemned  too  strongly;  but  these,  though  they  injure  the 
breasts  and  ruin  the  birds,  do  not  account  for  the  peculiar 
bend  in  the  ordinary  "crooked  breast-bone."  Birds  so  formed 
should  not  be  bred  from,  for  prize  stock. 

CROP-BOUND. 

One  of  the  most  common  of  crop  ailments,  caused  by  improper 
and  excessive  feeding,  by  lack  of  gravel,  mortar,  lime,  and  gritty 
rubbish,  which  birds  eat  so  greedily,  and  which  are  necessary 
for  digestion.  The  crop  becomes  choked  up  and  distended  with 
a  solid  mass,  often  very  hard ;  tbe  bird  cannot  eat,  mopeR  about, 
and  loses  flesh.  Pour  warm  water  down  the  throat  if  a  slight 
case,  and  work  the  mass  about  with  your  hand,  starve  the  bird 
and  give  no  water.     A  teaspoonful  of  gin  now  and  again  is  goodj 


76,  POULTRY  RKCBIPTB. 

when  softened  give  castor  oil,  a  dessert-spoonful  to  an  adult. 
After  recovery  feed  very  little  for  a  few  days.  If  these  measures 
fail  cut  the  crop  open  at  upper  part,  and  with  the  handle  of  a 
teaspoon  remove  the  contents,  oil  the  finger,  and  feel  that  the 
outlet  to  the  stomach  is  free,  then  sew  the  parts  up,  the  crop  and 
the  skin  beings  sewn  separately.  Horsehair  is  better  than  silk, 
which  does  well,  however.  The  bird  will  soon  want  to  feed 
ravenously;  give  bread  and  milk,  not  too  wet,  and  keep  the  bird 
quiet  for  a  few  days,  on  short  commons  of  sort  food. 

CROP  SOFT  OR  SWELLED. 

Contents  feel  like  liquid,  and  the  crop  sways  about  as  the  bird 
walks;  this  does  not  affect  health  or  spirits.  Puncture  the  crop 
and  let  the  fluid  out,  feed  very  slightly,  with  soft  food,  and 
hardly  any  water.  The  worst  months  for  these  diseases  are 
August  and  September  or  October.  When  wheat  newly  thrashed 
is  given  to  poultry  they  eat  greedily,  and  as  new  wheat  swells 
in  the  crop,  the  whole  mass  hardens,  aud  closes  up  the  outlet 
into  stomach,  bringing  on  a  disease  which  must  prove  fatal  un- 
less properly  treated.  Exhibition  birds  kept  for  a  week  in  a  pen 
eighteen  inches  square  and  overfed  on  whole  maize,  often  return 
with  the  crop  overcharged;  soft  food  only  should  be  given  if  this 
is  the  case,  and  a  teaspoonful  of  gin,  brandy,  or  port  wine,  to 
stimulate  digestion. 

CROWDING  POULTRY. 

One  of  the  commonest  of  evils,  and  fatal  to  success.  Most 
amateurs  go  in  for  several  breeds  of  poultry;  this,  unless  a  park 
or  farm  is  available,  is  very  unwise.  The  birds  may  be  kept  in 
comparative  comfort  during  the  winter  months,  but  in  the 
breeding  season,  when  the  chickens  begin  to  come,  and  in 
August,  when  pullets  have  to  be  separated  from  cockerels,  and 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  77 

these  again  in  October  kept  separate  from  adult  hens — when 
these  also  have  to  be  parted  from  their  mates,  and  exhibition 
birds  require  each  their  roomy  and  separate  pen,  it  is  impossible 
to  rear  many  breeds  successfully,  each  having  its  perfect  exhi- 
bition specimens;  for  this,  space  is  a  matter  of  necessity. 

DEFORMITIES. 

Squirrel  Tail. — This  is  a  common  fault,  and  difficult  to  breed 
out.  The  tail  projects  in  front  of  a  line  drawn  perpendicularly 
to  the  end  of  the  back,  sloping,  in  a  marked  way,  towards  the 
neck. 

Slipped  Wing,  or  Turned  Wing. — An  accident  to  which  some 
breeds  are  peculiarly  liable  when  making  their  adult  plumage. 
The  primary  feathers,  instead  of  being  tucked  in  when  the  wing 
is  closed,  protrude ;  appear  twisted  outwards  and  in  disorder, 
the  inside  of  the  feather  coming  outside.  Where  this  is  the  case, 
a  cockerel  has  little  chance  in  any  good  competition;  it  is  incura- 
ble, and,  moreover,  hereditary.  "When  the  flight  feathers  only 
hang  down,  as  if  too  weak  to  be  compactly  tucked  up,  but  not 
otherwise  disordered,  cure  is  possible  when  taken  in  time. 
As  soon  as  displacement  is  seen,  tuck  the  wing  up  every  night 
at  roosting-time,  and  when  the  bird  is  more  advanced  the  wing 
should  be  bound  near  the  shoulder  as  tight  as  possible.  From 
the  outside  centre  of  this  ligature  a  cord  must  be  passed  round 
the  shoulder,  and  fastened  to  the  inside  centre  to  prevent  its 
slipping  off.  Stout  whipcord  may  be  used,  or  tape,  and  every 
care  taken  to  have  each  feather  in  exact  position  before  tying 
up.  From  six  weeks  to  two  months  will  be  required  to  effect 
the  cure,  and  even  expert  hands  have  difficulty  in  putting  on  the 
bandage  satisfactorily.  Night  is  the  best  time  to  operate,  for 
the  sake  of  quietness. 

Vulture  Hock. — This  is  caused  by  the  feathers  projecting  con- 
siderably beyond  the  hock  joint  in  a  stiff,   awkward  manner. 


tS  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

Asiatic  breeds  are  particularly  subject  to  it,  and  if  a  bird  has 
this  deformity  strongly  marked,  it  would  be  useless  for  breeding 
or  for  exhibition  purposes. 

Wry  tail. — A  sign  of  hereditary  weakness;  occasionally  comes 
from  a  bird  being  kept  in  a  small  pen,  carrying  its  tail  habitu- 
ally on  one  side  as  it  walks  round.  If  a  habit  only,  it  may  be 
cured  by  snipping  out  a  portion  of  skin  on  the  side  from  which 
the  tail  inclines,  and  the  scar  in  contracting  draws  the  tail  back 
to  its  proper  position. 

DIARRHCEA. 

Caused  usually  by  cold  and  wet  weather;  in  chickens,  often 
due  to  improper  diet.  First  try  boiled  rice  mixed  with  powdered 
chalk.  If  the  case  is  severe,  which  it  should  not  be  in  a  well- 
ordered  yard,  try  any  of  the  following: — Two  or  three  drops  of 
cholorodyne  in  water  occasionally,  half  a  teaspoonful  of  brandy 
twice  daily  in  water.  A  pill  containing  five  grains  of  chalk,  five 
grains  of  rhubarb,  three  grains  of  cayenne,  half  a  grain  of 
opium.  For  food,  rice  boiled  in  milk,  only,  if  the  case  is  bad. 
Barley  is  the  first  grain  used  on  recovery  for  hens,  pearl  barley  for 
chickens.  Bone-dust  is  an  excellent  preventative;  young  chick- 
ens should  always  have  it.  (See  Bone-dust.)  Ample  green 
food  should  be  at  hand. 

DIRT  AND  DROPPINGS. 

These  left  on  the  ground  or  under  the  roosting-places,  are 
most  prejudicial  to  health.  They  should  be  collected  daily,  and 
not  swept  or  raked  about  in  clearing  them  away,  so  as  to  become 
mixed  up  with  the  soil,  but  carefully  shovelled  up  separately.  It 
is  advisable  to  have  a  large  covered  box  or  tub,  into  which  you  can 
throw  the  droppings,  without  other  rubbish.  This  manure,  if 
kept  dry,  is  equal  to  guano,  invaluable  for  garden  and  farm  land. 


P6tJI/PRt  RECEIPTS.  W 

The  produce  of  vegetables  and  strawberries,  when  it  is  judici- 
ously used,  is  trebled.  If  earth  or  ashes  are  sprinkled  over  the 
manure,  there  will  be  no  unpleasant  smell.  Fifty  hens  are  said 
to  produce  in  the  roosting  place  about  ten  cwt,  per  annum.  It 
is  best  to  use  it  at  home  when  possible,  as  gardeners  object  to 
pay  for  the  rubbish  which  is  mixed  with  it.  In  large  towns 
leather-dressers  will  give  a  low  price  for  it. 

^  DRAINAGE. 

Where  the  ground  i3  wet  this  is  very  important;  damp  is  fatal 
to  poultry.  A  proper  fall  should  be  arranged  in  the  ground,  and 
a  small  expenditure  on  drain  pipes  and  the  making  of  dry  wells 
will  be  amply  repaid  by  freedom  from  disease.  Drainage  from 
roofs  may  be  very  useful  if  collected  in  a  water-tub  with  a  tap 
for  washing  out  feeding  tins  and  water  fountains.  If  the  roof- 
ing be  made  of  any  material  to  which  tar  is  applied,  care  must 
be  taken  never  to  use  the  water  for  drinking  purposes;  it  is  most 
unwholesome  for  poultry. 

DRINK. 

The  feeding  of  poultry,  though  too  often  done  in  a  senseless 
manner,  is,  perhaps,  not  so  grossly  neglected  as  their  water  sup- 
ply. Many  poultry  fanciers  seem  to  think  there  is  no  occasion 
for  a  regular,  still  less  for  a  clean,  supply.  When  water-tins  are 
refilled  the  remaining  sediment  of  dirt  is  too  often  left  to  taint 
the  fresh  supply.  Birds  are  left  for  long  hours  without  water, 
then  suplied  in  excess  and  allowed  to  gorge  themselves,  much 
to  their  hurt.  Properly,  water  should  be  supplied  fresh  twice 
in  twenty-four  hours;  it  should  be  fresh  spring  watar,  not  rain 
and  the  vessels  should  be  emptied  and  rinsed  well  out  in  a 
bucket.  A  green  slime  often  coats  vessels  in  which  water  is 
continually  standing;  this  should  be  scrubbed  off  daily.  The 
attendant  ahould  go  round  with  a  bucket  of  hot  water  in  which 


S(y.  POULTRY  RECEIPTS.      ^ 

all  fountains  should  be  scrubbed,  and  care  must  be  taken  t( 
stand  water  out  of  the  sun,  as  the  heat  renders  it  unwhole. 
some.  On  return  from  a  show,  give  but  a  very  little  water  o* 
first  returning  t©  the  home  pen;  if  taken  in  large  quantities  it  is 
apt  to  turn  the  comb  to  a  dull  blue  color.  A  regular  and  pur« 
supply  of  water  is  more  important  than  is  generally  supposed. 
If  ducks  are  kept  means  must  be  taken  to  prevent  their  polluting 
the  fountains  by  washing  in  them,  and  if  standing  in  a  crowded 
pen  it  a  is  good  plan  to  place  the  water  vessels  on  a  stand,  or  to 
have  tins  supplied  with  two  hooks  by  which  they  can  be  hungup 
on  the  wire  partitions  of  the  pens,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  dust 
and  droppings  which  will  otherwise  be  scratched  into  them. 
Snow  water  is  injurious,  and  rain  also  if  out  of  tubs  drained  off 
a  tarred  roof.  Water  in  which  potato  parings  have  been  boiled 
is  injurious,  and  should  not  be  used  for  mixing  meals.  A  good 
water  vessel  for  hot  weather  is  an  earthenware  saucer  with  a 
slate  over  it,  in  which  a  hole  has  been  cut  to  allow  the  bird's 
head  to  go  in.  A  flower-pot  with  a  cork  in  the  drain  hole,  filled 
with  water  and  then  reversed  in  a  saucer,  is  an  excellent  water 
vessel,  keeping  the  water  cool  by  refrigeration.  Tonics  in  water 
are  a  great  help  in  the  raising  of  prize  poultry.  Fattening 
ducklings  must  have  very  little  water  to  drink.  Adult  fowls 
should  have  it  at  discretion.  Whether  chickens  should  have  a 
constant  supply  is  a  moot  point.  Some  declare  that  they  never 
give  any,  and  that  the  chicks  are  extra  healthy,  others  allow  it 
to  be  always  at  hand.  Chickens  running  with  their  mothers  in 
a  state  of  nature  drink  when  they  come  to  a  puddle,  apparently 
without  much  attention  to  rule  or  theory;  but  those  hatched  in 
artificial  rearers  are  certainly  somewhat  too  much  addicted  to 
drinking,  and  as  long  as  water  is  supplied  they  will  go  on  imbi- 
bing. The  best  plan  with  these  is  to  give  milk  once  a  day  (in 
the  forenoon),  a  reasonable  allowance,  and  to  remove  it  when 


N 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  81 

all  have  had  some.    Water  midday,   and    water  with  tonic  at 
night,  removing  these  also  when  the  thirst  is  quenched. 

DROPPING  EGGS. 

This  is  caused  by  a  too  stimulating  diet,  also  by  want  of  mor- 
tar, oyster-shells,  or  grit  for  shell  formation,  also  by  the  hens 
being  too  fat  Feci  less,  give  no  meat  for  a  time,  vary  the  diet 
with  rice,  potatoes,  sharps,  dari,  and  v^ieat.  Give  a  dose  of 
castor-oil,  and  iron  tonic  in  the  water.  § Should  this  not  cure  the 
evil,  give  one  gr.  calomel,  one-twelfth  gr.  of  tartar  emetic. 

DUBBING. 

This  operation  consists  in  the  removal  with  a  sharp  knife  of 
the  comb,  ear-lobes,  and  wattles  in  game  birds.  In  the  days  of 
cock-fighting  this  was  done  to  save  the  combs  of  the  fighting 
birds  from  injury,  and  to  remove  what  afforded  a  good  hold  for 
the  enemy,  Now  it  is  merely  a  fancy  point  lor  the  show  pen. 
Cocks  should  be  dubbed  when  getting  their  adult  plumage  and 
when  their  combs  are  well  formed  Game  and  Game  Bantams 
are  the  only  breeds  on  which  this  cruel  operation  is  now  prac- 
toed. 

EAR-LOBES. 

Sometimes  called  "deaf-ear,"  a  more  or  less  pendent  ornament 
to  the  face,  just  below  the  real  ear,  varying  from  pure  Jcid-like 
▼hite  to  red  and  blue. 

EARLY  OPENING  OF  HOUSES. 

This  has  much  to  do  with  health,  and  if  birds  who  rise  with 
the  sun  are  shut  up  in  close,  ill- ventilated  roosting-places  till  7 
and  8  a  m.,  no  success  willattend  the  mismanaging  owner.  The 
roosting-house  should  open  into  a  covered  run  which  the  birds 


82  POULTKY  RECEIPTS. 

can  enter  at  their  own  free  will,  to  find  a  little  food  and  to  amuse 
themselves  till  the  attendant  comes  his  rounds,  which  he  must 
do  in  summer  at  6  a.  m. 

EARLY-ROOSTING. 

Chickens  of  some  breeds  even  two  and  three  weeks  old  are 
very  fond  of  roosting.  Care  should  be  taken  to  remove  anything 
high,  for  the  danger  is  great  to  the  breast-bone  if  they  come 
down  from  a  height  when  very  young.  But  it  is  well  to  pro- 
vide roosting-places,  such  as  reversed  boxes,  covered  with  sand 
or  straw,  or  broad  perches  very  near  the  ground,  as  the  exercise 
and  amusement  of  hopping  up  and  down  is  good,  and  if  placed 
in  the  sun,  the  chicks  will  delight  to  congregate  upon  them  and 
preen  themselves  after  meals.  For  night  roosts  perches  are  not 
desirable;  shelves  sanded  and  covered  with  chopped  straw  are 
best.  Under  any  circumstances,  perches  should  be  broad,  so 
that  fowls  can  conveniently  stand  up  and  walk  along  their  length 
without  any  difficulty  in  balancing  themselves,  and  not  too 
high. 

EARTH  DEODORISER. 

A  supply  of  sifted  earth  and  sand  should  be  at  hand  (where 
the  birds  cannot  taint  it)  for  the  purpose  of  deodorising  and 
re-earthing  the  floors  of  all  artificial  mothers  and  sleeping 
shelves.  Nothing  destroys  offensive  smell  better  than  earth, 
and  if  freely  used,  with  occasional  dredgings  of  sulphur,  bad  air 
and  vermin  will  be  avoided.  The  earth  should  be  sifted  or 
screened.  .  If  small  chicks  sleep  on  lumpy  beds  of  earth,  the 
delicate  and  fragile  breast-bone  may  be  injured  by  the  pressure 
of  even  one  night's  lodging  on  an  improperly  made  bed. 

ECONOMY 

In  food  may  be  secured  by  buying  the  best  uninsured  grain,  and 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  83 

seeing  that  not  more  than  one  woman's  handful  of  grain  is  given 
to  each  fowl  for  a  meal;  this  is  enough,  and  none  will  remain  on 
the  ground.  In  building  houses  it  is  an  economy  to  remember 
that  at  timber  yards  wood  is  sold  cheaper  in  short  lengths  than 
in  long,  and  that  if  the  length  for  partitions,  etc.,  be  fixed  on  at 
first  a  saving  is  effected  by  ordering  all  to  be  sawn  to  lengths  at 
the  timber  yard;  by  this  labor  and  material  are  economised. 
The  price  of  boarding  also  varies  as  much  as  does  the  silk  for  a 
lady's  dress.  Accurate  measurements  should  be  made,  so  as  to 
avoid  cutting  up  to  waste. 

EGGS. 

Addled  are  those  which,  being  unfertile,  get  jarred  or  chilled, 
and  are  then  sat  upon  to  the  end  of  the  incubation  period,  and 
become  decomposed.  They  exude  an  offensive  moisture,  and  if 
broken,  explode  with  noise  and  smell.  Remove  such  eggs  as 
soon  as  detected,  as  their  presence  in  the  incubator  or  nest  is 
fatal  to  success  in  hatching. 

Barren  or  Unfertile  Eggs  may  be  taken  out  of  the  nest  a  week 
or  five  days  after  they  have  been  sat  upon.  They  should  be 
examined  with  an  ovoscope  by  the  aid  of  a  candle  or  lamp;  those 
which  are  barren  will  be  found  perfectly  devoid  of  veining,  and 
the  yolk  will  be  seen  to  sway  about  from  side  to  side  with  the 
least  movement  of  the  hand;  such  eggs  are  fit  for  cooking,  and 
perfectly  wholesome. 

Blood-stained  Eggs. — The  first  laid  by  a  pullet  or  hen  after 
moulting  may  be  slightly  so,  and  it  need  not  give  any  cause  for 
alarm. 

Broken  Eggs  in  the  Nest. — Plunge  those  remaining  unbroken 
into  warm  water  at  105°,  and  wash  them  clean  while  the  straw 
of  the  nest  is  replaced  and  all  made  sweet.  If  any  of  the  eggs 
are  only  cracked,  at  once  apply  sticking-plaster  or  gold-beater's 
skin,  and  patch  the  crack  up  firmly  to  exclude  air.     The  cnicics 


Si  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

will  hatch  out  in  most  cases  quite  well. 

Chilled  in  Hatching. — The  time  at  which  the  chill  becomes 
fatal  seems  to  vary  according  to  circumstances,  weather,  posi" 
tion,  period  of  incubation,  and  so  on.  Twenty  minutes  exposure 
in  cold  weather,  and  in  a  draughty  place,  will  addle  a  sitting, 
and  yet  chicks  have  come  out  when  the  hen  has  been  absent  an 
hour  or  two  and  even  more,  and  the  eggs  hare  been  quite  cold. 
Eggs  are  more  liable  to  chill  after  two  or  three  days'  incubation 
than  towards  the  close.  If  a  hen  leaves  her  nest,  and  the  eggs 
are  found  chilled,  place  them  at  once  in  water  at  105°  while  you 
secure  and  settle  or  replace  the  hen,  and  let  her  sit  on  to  the 
end  of  her  time;  the  ovoscope  will  here  be  useful,  as  it  will 
enable  you  to  see  if  life  still  exists,  and  if  not  time  may  be  saved 
by  resetting  the  hen. 

Color  of  Ducks'  Eggs. — Varies  from  pure  white  to  cream  color 
and  to  bright  green.  Pekin  and  Aylesbury  ducks  are  no 
exception  to  this  rule;  it  does  not  affect  the  produce  in  any  way, 
nor  can  it  be  accounted  for. 

Color  of  Hens''  Eggs. — Asiatic  breeds  lay  eggs  from  deep 
chocolate  through  every  shade  of  coffee  color,  while  the  Spanish, 
Hamburg,  and  Italian  breeds  are  known  for  the  pure  white  of  the 
eggshell.  A  cross,  however  remote,  with  Asiatics  will  cause  even 
the  last-named  breeds  to  lay  an  egg  slightly  tinted. 

Egg-bound.— The  best  cure  for  this  is  a  table-spoonful  of  warm 
treacle,  into  which  chopped  groundsel  is  mixed,  giving  it 
warm. 

Fertility  of  Eggs  depends  on  the  number  of  hens  to  each  cock, 
on  the  space  allowed  for  the  run,  if  any,  and  on  the  age  of  the 
male  birds;  all  efforts  to  ensure  it  are  negatived  by  improper  and 
over  feeding.  The  eggs  of  very  large  exhibition  birds,  bred  for 
size  and  feather,  are  very  often  unfertile,  and  eggs  from  pens 
where  the  birds  are  constantly  travelling  to  shows  are,  as  a  rule, 


POtJLTR*  RECEIPTS.  85 

less  fertile  than  others.  Leghorns  seem  to  suffer  less  from  this 
than  some  other  breeds.  Changing  cocks  about  in  the  midst  of 
the  breeding  season  will  make  the  eggs  unfertile,  though  it  may 
be  only  to  exchange  them  from  one  home  pen  to  another. 

Foretelling  Sex  of  Chicks. — No  rule  can  be  laid  down  about 
this,  and  the  shape  of  the  egg  has  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Early 
broods  bring  most  cocks,  late  broods  the  pullets.  This  is  gener- 
ally the  case,  but  no  rule  is  reliable. 

To  Hatch  Early. — An  incubator  is  a  great  advantage  for  this 
purpose:  in  November  and  December,  January  and  February, 
sitting  hens  are  hardly  to  be  got,  and  the  incubator  can  be 
worked  independently  of  weather.  Chills  must  be  guarded 
against,  and  are  specially  dangerous  early,  the  fertility  of  the 
eggs  being  less  vigorous  than  it  is  later  on,  and  a  batch  of  eggs 
may  be  easily  addled.  Brahma  hens  kept  in  a  warm  place  are 
the  most  likely  to  sit  early.  Nests  should  be  made  in  a  shel- 
tered warm  situation,  as  excessive  cold  will  cause  a  hen  to  leave 
her  nest;  and  if  she  is  comfortably  housed  and  her  food  given 
warm  (baked  grain  dry)  in  severe  weather  she  will  be  more 
likely  to  keep  steady.  While  the  hen  is  off  feeding  pour  boiling 
water  round  the  nest  daily  during  the  third  week.  In  severe 
frost  a  handful  of  dry  hay  cast  over  the  eggs  while  the  hen  feeds 
keeps  them  from  to  severe  a  chill. 

Increasing  Egg-production. — Mark  those  hens  in  your  flock 
remarkable  for  the  size  or  the  number  of  their  eggs,  and  hatch 
their  eggs  in  preference  for  laying  stock.  Choose  breeds  which  do 
not  sit.  Do  not  over-feed  or  fatten,  and  keep  laying  hens  in  an 
active  hungry  state;  do  not,  however,  run  into  extremes  and 
under-feed  them;  they  must  have  plenty  and  yet  always  be  ready 
for  food.  Do  not  keep  old  hens,  two  years  is  the  outside  limit. 
Birds  hatched,  say,  in  March,  1884  should,  on  an  egg-farm,  be 
killed  for  table  on  the  first  signs  of  moult  in  autumn,  1885;  they 
are  then  quite  young  and  fetch  a  good  price,  and  will  not  be  so 


86  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

valuable  in  1886.  Laying  hens  should  not  have  to  much  fatten- 
ing soft  food,  sound  grain  in  variety  is  the  best  diet,  and  plenty 
of  green  food,  oyster-shell,  and  mortar  rubbish. 

Preserving  Eggs  for  Sitting. — If  the  eggs  are  from  prize  stock, 
each  egg  should  be  marked  with  the  date  or  number  of  the  prize 
pen;  the  mark  should  be  placed  on  the  small  end  of  the  egg, 
otherwise  the  chick  in  pecking  out  is  apt  to  obliterate  all  traces 
of  it.  The  eggs  should  be  collected  in  a  basket  containing  bran 
or  chaff,  and  afterwards  placed  in  a  box  (with  a  lid,)  in  bran, 
small  end  up;  they  should  be  entirely  covered  up  in  the  bran. 
Perfectly  new-laid  eggs  must  be  used  for  incubator  work ,  under 
hens  staler  eggs  will  hatch.  I  have  known  eggs  hatch  when 
placed  under  the  hen  at  fourteen  days  old,  but  new-laid  eggs  are 
always  to  be  preferred. 

Moistening  Eggs. — In  hot  dry  summer  weather  watering  the 
hatching  nest  with  water  at  105°  from  a  fine  rose  water-pot 
while  the  hen  eats  her  daily  meal  is  a  good  practice;  in  cold 
weather  pour  boiling  water  round  the  nest.  In  an  incubator  do 
not  water  the  eggs,  bnt  get  the  moisture  required  from  wet  earth 
trays. 

Preserving  Eggs  for  Winter  Use. — To  ensure  success,  whatever 
the  keeping  medium,  place  the  eggs  into  it  as  fast  as  collected 
from  the  nest.  If  they  lie  about  here  and  there,  exposed  to  air 
and  sun  and  movement  even  for  a  day,  the  result  will  not  be 
satisfactory.  The  ways  to  preserve  eggs  for  winter  are  vari- 
ous:— 

No.  1.  Dissolve  quicklime  in  water,  and  add  a  little  cream 
of  tartar,  put  in  as  laid,  and  see  that  the  water  quite  covers  the 

eggs. 
No.  2.     Rub  the  eggs  with  lard,  or  butter,  or  oil,  and  immerse 

in  bran. 

No.  3.     Bury  the  eggs  in  powdered  unslaked  lime. 
No.  4.     Bed  in  salt. 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  87 

No.  5.  The  French  method;  Varnish  the  eggs  with  varnish 
of  linseed-oil,  and  beeswax. 

No.  6.  Smear  the  eggs  over  with  linseed-oil,  and  place  them 
in  dry  sand. 

No.  7.  Rub  in  butter,  and  store  the  eggs  in  boxes  well  closed 
down,  pasting  paper  over  the  cracks  so  as  to  exclude  air:  keep  in 
a  cold  place. 

Round  and  Long  Eggs. — Round  eggs  are  said  to  produce  pul- 
lets; long  eggs  cockerels — a  fallacy,  and  proved  to  be  incorrect. 

To  secure  Eggs  all  year  round. — Keep  an  incubator  going;  and 
if  your  runs  are  on  a  small  scale,  hatch  out,  say  twelve  chickens 
every  month,  beginning  in  December  and  continue  till  May. 
These  should  provide  pullets  enough  to  keep  the  egg-basket  full 
all  the  year  round  for  a  small  family. 

Selecting  Eggs  for  Sitting. —  Very  round  and  very  pointed  eggs 
should  be  rejected,  also  very  small  and  extra  large  ones.  Dou- 
ble eggs  never  hatch  well,  they  produce  deformities.  Medium- 
sized  eggs  are  more  vigorously  fertile  than  others.  Eggs  that 
are  rough-shelled  or  brittle  are  bad,  and  crooked,  misshapen  eggs 
bespeak  a  delicate,  consumptive  strain  of  fowls.  Never  place 
dirty  eggs  in  a  nest:  wash  in  tepid  water  with  a  sponge  till  clean. 
Ducks'  eggs  particularly,  should  always  be  cleansed.  In  an 
incubator,  where  so  much  depends  upon  the  purity  of  the  air, 
this  is  doubly  important.  Water  for  washing  should  be 
105O  F. 

Soft  Eggs. — Hens  often  lay  soft  eggs,  devoid  of  shell.  This 
arises  from  several  causes,  the  most  common  being  the  want  of 
material  to  form  shell  where  birds  have  only  earth  or  grass  or  a 
paved  yard.  Another  cause  is  over-feeding  with  rich,  soft, 
stimulating  diet.  Reduce  the  quality  and  quantity ;  give  more 
dry  dari  and  wheat  grain,  less  oi  soft  food,  and  add  powdered 
oyster-shells,  mortar-gravel,  grit,  or  the  cleaning  and  chippings 


38  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

of  lime  from  boilers.  Nests  dirty  and  insufficient  in  number 
will  cause  hens  to  drop  their  eggs  prematurely;  the  egg  gets 
broken,  and  then  not  unfrequently  the  juicy  morsel  is  eaten  up, 
and  a  taste  for  egg-eating  is  formed.  If  proper  management 
does  not  soon  avert  or  cure  the  evil,  try  physic: 

No.  1.  Diet  on  rice  and  potatoes  sparingly  given,  and  a  pill 
of  one  grain  of  calomel,  with  one-twelfth  of  grain  of  tartar 
emetic. 

No.  2.  Dose  well  with  castor  oil;  put  old  nails  or  old  keys  in 
the  water-tin,  or  two  lumps  (size  of  filberts)  of  sulphate  of  iron 
to  the  gallon  of  water. 

Test  of  Fresh  Eggs.—  The  fresher  the  egg,  the  smaller  the  air- 
chamber.  This  can  be  seen  at  the  broad  end  of  the  egg  if  it  be 
held  up  against  a  strong  light  in  a  dark  room.  Stale  eggs  have 
a  mottled,  greyish  look  about  them;  and  a  new-laid  egg  will 
always  give  a  feeling  of  warmth  if  the  tongue  is  pressed  to  the 
large  end. 

Small  Yolkless  Eggs.—  This,  again,  is  a  sign  of  over-feeding — 
and  most  likely  an  exclusive  diet  of  Indian  corn,  with  little 
exercise  and  no  green  food. 

Egg-eaters. — Such  hens  must  be  sharply  looked  after.  Where 
only  a  few  fowls  are  kept  near  the  house,  the  evil  has  been  over- 
come by  taking  the  eggs  as  soon  as  laid,  but  this  is  impossible 
in  large  runs;  and  unless  very  valuable  for  prize  breeding,  the 
offender  should  be  killed  at  once;  it  is  a  fault  easily  taught  to 
other  hens.  A  good  plan  for  finding  out  the  culprit  is  to  put 
some  eggs  about  the  yard,  or  run,  and  to  let  the  hens  out;  the 
offender  will  rush  at  the  egg  and  commence  breaking  it,  and  in 
a  moment  will  swallow  it  down.  Next,  place  some  stone  eggs 
about,  and  one  real  egg,  blown,  and  filled  with  mustard  and 
cayenne  pepper;  the  offender  will  peck  away  at  the  stone  eggs, 
and  at  last  seize  on  the  hot  one.     This  lesson  is  sometimes,   bat 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  89 

not  always,  successful.  Nests  adapted  to  save  the  eggs  of  egg. 
eating  hens  are  advertised  in  the  poultry-journals,  and  are  use- 
ful should  it  be  necessary  to  keep  birds  which  have  contracted 
this  very  objectionable  habit. 

EPSOM  SALTS. 

A  small  quantity  given  occasionally,  mixed  into  the  soft  food, 
encourages  laying,  but  care  must  be  taken  not  to  give  much,  as 
it  will  produce  scouring;  one  tablespoonful  to  25  birds  is 
enough. 

ERUPTIONS. 

Scurfy  heads,  or  scurfy  scabs  on  the  ear-lobes.  This  state 
of  things  indicates  want  of  green  food,  and  that  the  birds  are 
kept  in  ill-managed  dirty  yards.  Castor  oil  two  or  three  times 
at  intervals  of  two  to  three  days,  and  powdered  sulphur  in  the 
food.  Turmeric  and  cocoanut-oil  ointment  may  be  rubbed  on 
the  scurfy  parts,  and  all  will  soon  be  well. 

EXCESSIVE  FEEDING. 

One  of  the  most  common  causes  of  disease  and  loss  in  the 
poultry-yard.  No  food  should  ever  be  left  on  the  ground;  any 
so  left  shows  that  the  birds  are  getting  more  than  is  good  for 
them.  A  good  plan  for  the  inexperienced  poultry-feeder  to  go 
by  is  this:  At  the  morning  meal,  which  is  of  soft  food,  place  it 
in  pans  or  tins,  several,  according  to  the  number  of  the  fowls, 
so  that  all  may  have  a  fair  chance  of  feeding  without  overcrowd- 
ing; leave  the  birds  for  twenty  minutes,  after  which  return  and 
remove  any  remnants  left,  leaving  none  behind.  The  birds  will  have 
eaten  as  much  as  they  require,  and  over  that  mark  there  is  danger  of 
bringing  on  internal  disorders  of  the  liver  and  stomach,   loss  of 


90  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

feathers,  laying  of  soft  eggs,  unfertile  eggs,   and  every  poultry 
ailment  under  the  sun. 

FAILURES  IN  POULTRY  KEEPING. 


Chiefly  due  to  a  mistaken  idea  that  poultry  can  be  made  profi- 
table and  a  source  of  wealth  or  income  without  any  outlay, 
everything  being  expected  from  whilst  nothing  is  done  for  the 
birds.  Some  of  the  most  common  causes  of  failure  seem  to  be 
from  want  of  cleanliness,  over-feeding,  and  that  on  injudiciously 
arranged  diet,  from  trying  to  keep  too  large  a  stock  of  fowls  for 
the  space  available,  and,  perhaps,  too  many  varieties.  Want  of 
dry  shelter  is  a  common  cause  of  disease.  It  is  not  enough  for 
the  roosting-house  to  be  dry;  there  must  be  a  space  where  air 
and  light  can  enter  freely,  where  the  birds  will  resort  on  wet 
days  to  dust  and  preen  themselves.  If  poultry  is  kept  for  sale 
of  eggs  and  chickens,  etc.,  a  town  or  city  near  at  hand  is  indis- 
pensable; and  the  soil  should  be  dry  and  sandy  rather  than  clay, 
with  plenty  of  shelter  in  the  way  of  orchards  or  shrubberies. 
Want  of  knowledge  as  to  trussing  and  preparing  poultry  for 
market  is  one  cause  of  the  low  prices  paid  to  amateurs  for  their 
produce,  and  another  drawback  is  that  so  many  start  poultry- 
woi  k  with  old  barn-door  birds,  of  very  inferior  type,  and  poor 
both  as  layers  and  fatteners. 

FANCY  POINTS. 

It  is  a  usual  remark  that  fanciers  *  'breeding  for  feather"  or 
for  "fancy  points"  are  really  doing  harm,  inasmuch  as  the 
breeds  deteriorate  in  their  hands  for  all  economic  purposes;  and 
yet  it  is  very  certain  that  the  improvement  in  useful  farm  poul- 
try of  late  years  is  due  to  the  fancier,  for  it  is  from  his  runs  that 
birds  kept  for  commercial  purposes  only  are  crossed  and  resus- 
citated.    Birds  kept  for  table  purposes,   and  as  egg-prodwcers, 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  91 

are  seldom  of  pure  breed;  the  first  cross  is  sought  for,  and  it  is 
out  of  the  hundreds  raised  by  the  breeders  of  pure  stains  that 
the  crosses  are  obtained,  and  the  race  improved  for  economic 
purposes.  Had  the  fancier  no  high  standard  of  feather,  etc.,  to 
breed  to,  and  that  difficult  of  attainment,  there  would  be  no 
object  in  his  hatching  and  feeding  with  such  scrupulous  care 
the  hundreds  of  pure  birds  he  now  produces  yearly.  To  enable 
him  to  pick  out  three  or  four,  or  even  one,  ideal  bird,  true  to 
fancy  points  and  fit  to  win  at  large  shows,  some  hundreds  must 
be  hatched  and  fed  extra  well  from  the  first,  and  it  is  those  that 
fail  of  perfection  which  give  the  useful  first  cross  for  economic 
purposes. 

FARM  POULTRY. 

The  present  system  of  keeping  farm  poultry  cannot  answer, 
but  great  strides  are  being  made  towards  an  improved  state  of 
things,  and  the  subject  is  being  thoroughly  ventilated.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  on  a  farm  there  are  special  advantages  for 
poultry-keeping  on  a  large  scale.  Barns  and  extensive  sheds 
for  sheltering  carts,  etc.,  are  at  hand,  which,  without  building 
especially  for  the  fowls,  can  be  adpated  to  supply  admirable  poultry 
accommodation.  The  ricks  of  hay  and  wheat,  etc.,  if  properly 
raised  from  the  ground  to  avoid  harboring  rats  and  damp,  also 
give  shelter;  and  even  if  the  farm  is  small  it  should  be  capable 
of  supplying  the  greater  part  of  the  corn  and  meal  used,  for 
birds,  with  ample  range  and  the  gleanings  of  the  farm-yard  at 
command,  forage  largely  on  their  own  account.  System  and 
attention  are  wanted,  and  common  sense,  which  the  woman  of 
the  farm,  to  whose  management  the  poultry  are  left,  as  a  rule, 
do  not  possess.  Old  birds  are  kept  year  after  year,  from  which 
supply  of  eggs  must  be  small,  and,  as  a  rule,  the  hens  are  fat- 
tened and  the  chickens  under  fed.     No  pains  are  taken  to  hatch 


92  POULTRY  BECEIFT8. 

early,  and  thus  eggs  are  not  to  be  had  during  those  months  when 
they  gain  the  highest  price.  Feeding  is  irregular,  and  the  food 
given  is  seldom  varied,  whereas  we  know  that  variety  is  specially 
good  for  poultry.  The  farmer's  wife  seems  unable  to  name  any 
other  grains  but  Indian  corn  and  wheat;  whereas  she  should 
grow,  besides  these,  a  small  patch  of  barley,  buckwheat,  and 
sunflowers,  also  oats  for  grinding  to  meal.  Fresh  water  is 
never  supplied,  the  birds  usually  drinking  from  the  drainings 
of  the  manure-heap,  and  the  poultry  roosting-house  is  cleaned 
out,  perhaps  twice  a  year;  the  manure  is  supposed  "to  keep  the 
fowls  warm."  The  number  of  birds  too,  as  compared  with  the 
acres  at  command  of  grass,  wheat,  turnip,  and  other  fields,  is 
absurdly  small;  and  whereas  the  fancier  with  love  for  poultry 
will  within  the  space  of  seventy  feet  by  fifty  produce  and  rear 
over  200  birds  for  table,  egg,  and  show  purposes,  the  farm  poul- 
try on  some  seventy  acres  will  not  count  over  100  head,  if  so 
much.  The  farmer  will  carefully  breed  from  his  best  stock,  the 
best  milkers,  and  the  best  fatteners,  in  cattle  and  pigs,  the  sheep 
producing  most  lambs,  all  are  carefully  perpetuated,  but  no  trouble 
is  taken  about  the  progeny  of  the  best  laying  hen.  Mongrels 
are  started  with,  and  breed  in-and-in  year  after  year;  the  race 
deteriorates  in  egg-production  and  in  size;  whereas  a  pure  breed, 
or  at  least  a  first  cross,  should  be  started  with,  and  these  birds 
should  be  mated  with  a  pure-bred  cock  of  another  breed — fresh 
blood  should  be  introduced  from  time  to  time.  With  all  his 
blind  neglect  and  ignorant  mismanagement  going  on,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  farm  poultry  pay  pennies  only  where  they  should 
bring  dollars.  Many  farmers  consider  that  poultry  injure  the 
crops.  It  must  be  said  that  some  thirty  or  forty  heads  roaming 
over  a  field  do  forage  and  trample  on  pretty  freely;  but  the 
question  is  whether  the  amount  of  good  they  do  in  killing 
insects  of  all  kinds,  especially  slugs  and  wire- worms,  does  not 
compensate  for  the  leaves  they  consume  and  destroy.    It  is  the 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  93 

opinion  of  many  high  authorities  that  the  good  they  do  in  this 
way  exceeds  the  evil. 

FARMYARD  DUCK. 

Here  again,  the  farmer  as  a  rule  is  content  with  the  variest 
mongrels — small  ducks,  shallow  in  breast  and  of  narrow  shape, 
bearing  no  resemblance  to  the  grand  Rouen  or  Aylesbury,  from 
which  in  time  gone  by  they  possibly  have  sprung.  It  is  the 
rarest  thing  to  find  pure  a  Rouen,  Aylesbury,  or  Pekin  on  any 
farm,  and  it  is  a  great  mistake;  for  the  young  of  these  well 
known  breeds  will  fatten  up  for  table  to  5  lbs.  or  6  lbs.  weight, 
without  their  feathers,  in  six  or  seven  weeks  with  good  manage- 
ment; whereas  the  farm  duck  can  seldom  be  induced  to  lay  on 
more  than  3  lbs.,  and  this  at  a  larger  cost  of  food,  for  the  mon- 
grel ducklings  from  a  farm  or  elsewhere  are  of  the  greediest, 
and  possess  a  most  insatiable  appetite.  For  egg-production  too, 
the  mongrel  duck  is  useless.  The  eggs  are  small;  and  in  Novem- 
ber and  December,  when  the  early-hatched  Aylesbury  is  hard 
at  work,  the  complaint  at  the  farm  is  that  the  ducks  "dont't 
lay."  The  laying  farm  ducks  are  supposed  to  require  no  food, 
and  if  it  were  not  for  slugs  and  worms  and  grazing  would  pick 
up  a  scanty  living. 

FATTENING  FOWLS. 

This  subject  is  described  in  great  detail  in  many  books  and 
papers.  The  following  hints  may  be  useful  to  the  novice  in 
poultry-work.  When  a  bird  is  to  be  put  up  for  fattening  it 
must  be  starved  for  some  hours  till  very  hungry.  It  must  be  fed 
during  the  whole  fattening  period  very  regularly  at  stated  times ;  no 
food  should  be  left  after  a  meal;  the  coop  must  be  very  clean,  and 
kept  out  of  the  sun,  in  a  darkish  place;  the  bird  must  not  be 
allowed  to  see  other  birds  running  about,  as  this  will  make  it 


94  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

uneasy,  and  retard  the  fattening  process ;  the  water  must  be 
kept  pure  and  fresh. 

No.  1.  Fattening  from  the  shell :  Give  the  little  chicks  chopped 
hard-boiled  eggs  and  bread-crumbs  for  the  first  fortnight  after 
which  add  cooked  meat  chopped  fine,  and  mixed  with  oatmeal 
and  molasses.     Corn  steeped  in  milk  is  good  later  on. 

No.  2.  Take  the  birds  when  they  have  done  growing ;  say  at 
four  monihs  put  them  singly  into  fattening  pens  with  barred  floors 
through  which  the  droppings  can  fall,  and  feed  them  with  any 
of  the  following  foods  :  — Oatmeal  and  chopped  suet ;  boiled 
potatoes  ;  rice  boiled  in  milk  or  molasses  ;  soft  food  of  oatmeal 
mixed  with  milk  or  pot-liquor,  pig's-fat,  malt  and  sugar  ;  suet 
is  added  the  last  week,  and  the  birds  are  kept  in  sheds,  airy  but 
not  cold. 

ORDINARY  FATTENING  OF  CHICKS. 

For  the  amateur,  the  penning  up  and  cramming  system  is  not 
an  absolute  necessity.  When  the  birds  are  from  three  to  four 
months  old,  isolate  them  from  all  other  stock  in  healthy  quar- 
ters, with  a  moderate,  but  wholesome,  run.  Feed  them  every 
three  hours  with  all  the  above  foods  in  turn,  and  any  other 
kinds  of  food  you  can  conooct  likely  to  tempt  the  appetite.  Let 
them  eat  as  much  as  they  will,  and  be  careful  to  remove  what  is 
left.  Let  the  tins  be  kept  sweet  and  clean.  Give  ample  green 
food,  fresh  air  and  sunshine,  with  means  of  seeking  shelter  from 
its  rays  as  well.  Birds  so  treated  will  make  healthy,  firm  flesh, 
and  fatten  quickly,  but  will  not  be  laden  with  the  soft  fat  which 
is  laid  on  in  the  unhealthy  air  of  the  fattening  pen.  (See  Cram- 
ming.) 

FATTENING  A  LA   BRESSE 

The  birds  are  kept  on  dry  gravel,  and  fattened  on  buckwheat 
and  maize  meals  ground  fine  as  flour,  and  made  into  light  por- 
ridge with  milk. 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  95 

Chicks  should  be  ready  without  special  feeding  at  four  months 
old  to  kill,  at  from  3  lbs.  to  4  lbs.  weight. 

FATTENING  GEESE. 

No  amount  of  good  food  will  fatten  birds  originally  of  a  mon- 
grel type.  The  quickest  and  best  to  lay  on  sound  flesh  are  the 
produce  of  Embden  geese  crossed  by  a  Toulouse  gander.  Dc 
not  proceed  to  fatten  too  suddenly.  After  giving  free  range  of 
stubble  and  grass  fields,  confine  gradually  and  at  last  wholly  in 
a  paitially  dark  place.  Wheat  and  barley  grain  and  barley-meal 
with  brewers'  grains  fatten  well.  Goslings  may  be  put  up  to 
fatten  at  five  or  six  weeks  ;  seven  weeks  should  bring  them  to 
perfection,  Maize  is  also  good,  and  turnip  tops  are  greatly  rel- 
ished. Ponds  are  not  required,  but  large  troughs  of  water 
should  stand  about  in  the  shade. 

FEATHERS 

are  very  valuable  and  where  over  a  hundred  head  of  poultry  are 
kept,  should  be  looked  after  as  a  source  of  income. 

FEATHER-EATING. 

A  horrid  practice,  one  might  almost  call  it  a  disease,  to  which 
fowls  brought  up  in  confinement  are  liable.  Malays  and  Hou- 
dans  seem  peculiarly  apt  to  contract  this  habit,  which  dirt  and 
crowding  encourages.  Idleness  is  one  cause  ;  poultry  are  often 
kept  in  a  pen  where  they  have  no  means  of  scratching  about  or 
amusing  themselves.  The  earth  should  be  forked  up,  thrown 
into  heaps,  and  straw  scattered  over  it  ;  this  will  give  occupa- 
tion and  tend  to  arrest  the  evil.  "Want  of  fresh  water  is  another 
source  of  the  disease  ;  the  water  should  be  replenished  often, 
and  kept  in  the  shade.  Cabbages  tied  up  whole  and  tightly  to 
the  walls  of  pens  will  amuse  and  serve  to  pass  the  time,  and  a 
pieee  of  meat  hung  just  within  reach  will  be  useful.  Should 
any  birds  be  so  injured  as  to  have  the  stumps  of  feathers  bleed- 


96  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

ing  these  must  be  pulled  out  by  the  roots,  and  the  tender  places 
anointed  with  a  salve  of  vaseline  mixed  with  carbolic  acid,  lOgrs. 
to  the  ounce.  This  will  be  healing,  and  at  the  same  time  un- 
palatable to  the  offending  birds.  Lettuce  in  large  quantities 
should  be  given.  If  the  case  is  desperate  give  daily  £  to  ^  gr. 
of  acetate  of  morphia.  The  offending  bird  should  be  removed 
from  the  run. 

LOSS  OF  FEATHERS. 

Probably  proceeds  from  deficient  or  unclean  dusting  arrange* 
ments.  Fowls  must  have  dust  baths  and  one  pound  of  black 
sulphur  now  and  then,  mixed  with  the  rubble  or  sand,  is  excel- 
lent for  keeping  feathers  in  good  order.  A  few  grains  of  carbon- 
ate of  potass  in  water  twice  daily  and  the  application  of  petro- 
leum ointment  will  produce  a  cure.  Proper  food  is  necessary 
for  the  preservation  of  plumage.  Food  without  husk,  such  as 
Indian  corn,  soaked  bread,  if  given  exclusively,  will  bring  on 
loss  of  feather;  barley,  buckwheat  and  barley-meal.  If  the 
skin  is  bare  and  shows  no  growth  of  feather,  rub  in  oil  and  tur- 
pentine in  proportion  of  three  to  one  till  the  feathers  break 
through. 

FEATHERING  OF  THE  LEGS  AND  FEET. 

Perfection  in  this  is  no  mystery,  as  amateurs  imagine  ;  it  is 
merely  a  matter  of  extreme  care.  A  bird  to  be  shown  with  per- 
fect foot-feathering  must  not  once  get  into  damp  or  mud,  must 
not  walk  on  stubble  or  rough  earth,  if  not  kept  on  a  lawn  it 
must  have  soft  straw  to  walk  on  in  the  pen. 

FELT. 

Tarred  is  useful  for  covering  roofs  and  buildings  made  of 
wood ;  it  effectually  keeps  out  wet  and  if  tarred  and  sanded 
over  now  and  then  lasts  a  considerable  time. 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  97 

FENCING  WIRE. 

When  putting  up  houses  the  lowest  piece  of  wire  should  be  of 
smaller  mesh  than  the  upper,  so  as  to  confine  small  chicks  if 
necessary,  and  to  exclude  rats.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to 
nail  the  upper  part  of  wire  fencing  to  strips  of  wood  ;  though 
neater  to  the  eye  it  is  better  avoided,  as  the  wooden  strip,  how- 
ever light,  gives  the  birds  a  foot  rest;  and  they  will  attempt  to 
fly  on  to  it,  which  they  will  not  do  if  it  is  merely  strained  wire 
at  top.  Asiatics  will  be  kept  in  by  a  two  foot  wire,  other  breeds 
require  it  from  five  to  seven  feet  high. 

FLEAS. 

A  not  infrequent  but  most  unnecessary  and  disgraceful  pest 
of  the  poultry  yard.  Whitewash  three  to  four  times  a  year, 
keep  the  places  daily  well  cleaned,  and  such  a  visitation  will  sel- 
dom occur. 

To  destroy  them,  in  an  empty  pen,  paste  up  all  cracks  and 
holes,  and  burn  a  pound  or  two  of  broken  sulphur  in  an  iron 
vessel  supported  over  water  ;  let  the  fumes  remain  to  do  their 
work  in  the  hen  house  all  day,  water  the  floor  with  carbolic  acid 
solution;  a  wineglassful  to  the  gallon,  or  pour  turpentine  in  bad 
places. 

Fleas  get  about  the  nests  and  building,  rather  than  in  the 
birds. 

FLESH. 

A  decided  aid  to  egg  production,  and  during  the  winter 
months  especially  necessary,  as  there  is  no  insect  life.  Scraps 
from  the  butcher  without  bone  can  be  procured,  these  parboiled 
and  chopped  fine  make  an  excellent  dish.  An  exclusively  meat 
diet  on  horseflesh,  and  the  tainted  carcases  of  animals  unfit  for 
human  food,  cannot  improve  the  flavor  of  the  eggs,  and  must  be 
prejudicial  to  the  health  of  birds.  The  French  use  horseflesh 
and  a  meat  diet  very  largely. 


98  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

FLOORS. 

Boards  are  not  good,  especially  if  chickens  are  to  be  brought 
up  upon  them  as  they  produce  cramp.  Concrete  or  brick  is 
better,  but  nothing  is  so  good  as  deep,  well  pulverized,  dry  soil, 
which  is  also  less  expensive. 

FOOD  AFTER  EXHIBITION. 

When  the  show  birds  return  from  their  journey,  place  them 
in  their  own  pen  and  give  soft  food  only,  warm — Spratt  or  bread 
and  milk  with  very  little  water,  as  the  birds;  (being  possibly 
feverish  from  long  confinex^znt)  are  apt  to  drink  without  meas- 
ure and  to  a  dangerous  extent.  Should  the  crop  be  overcharged 
with  whole  Indian  corn  or  fresh  wheat,  a  teaspoonful  of  gin  will 
perhaps  save  an  illness. 

FOOD  DURING  MOULT. 

Same  as  for  ordinary  adult  laying  stock,  only  a  little  more 
generous,  and  given  warm  ;  meat,  ale,  milk,  and  a  little  pepper, 
(red  chillies  are  cheapest  and  best)  may  be  added. 

FOUNTAINS. 

One  of  the  cheapest  and  best  home-made  fountains  is  an  ordi- 
nary flower-pot,  reversed  in  a  glazed  saucer ;  fit  a  cork  into  a 
hole  of  the  pot,  fill  it  with  water  and  reverse  it.  For  adult 
fowls,  tins  which  will  hook  on  to  the  wire  are  excellent,  as  the 
water  keeps  clean  in  them. 

FRESH  BLOOD. 

If  birds  are  bred  in  and  in  to  any  great  extent  many  evils  will 
<*nsue — loss  of  size,  fewer  eggs  will  be  laid,  and  a  general  want 
*i  stamina  will  be  observable.  It  is  well  therefore,  occasionally 
to  purchase  a  cock  from  one  of  the  best  yards,  and  if  it  is  for 
prize  purposes,  ascertain  the  pedigree,  and,  if  possible,  see  the 
pen  from  which  he  was  hatched.      It  is  the  easiest  thing  in  the 


LANGSHANS. 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  9f 

world  to  \  \***Jws*<  a  glaring  defect  into  your  flock,  and  one  of 
the  most  difficult  t<-  breed  a  fault  out.  Where  birds  are  kept  in 
separate  runs  snd  pens,  the  produce  for  the  following  year  or 
two  will  not  be  so  nearly  related  as  to  require  invigorating  by 
fresh  blood  ;  in  fact  any  large  breeder  of  a  well-known  strain 
will  be  very  shy  of  introducing  new  stock  for  any  purpose.  By 
a  wise  system  of  crossing  and  separation,  thoroughly  unrelated 
birds  should  be  kept  ready  to  hand  for  the  mating  season. 

FRIGHT. 

Sudden  fright  or  much  hunting  about  is  the  frequent  cause  of 
soft  eggs.    With  prize  birds  it  must  be  avoided,  as  beating 
about  may  cause  irreparable  mischief. 
FROST-BITE. 

Spanish,  Andalusians,  Minorcas,  Leghorns  and  all  large- 
combed  breeds  are  specially  subject  to  this.  To  prevent  it,  rub 
oil  or  vaseline  over  the  comb  with  a  sponge  ;  but  any  fairly  kept 
birds  should  not  be  subject  to  this  danger.  Rub,  if  frozen, 
with  snow  or  cold  water,  and  apply  zinc  ointment  or  vaseline. 

GAPES. 

Caused  by  pale,  reddish  worms,  lodged  in  the  windpipe,  from 
two  to  twelve  in  number,  and  about  half  an  inch  long ;  each 
worm  has  a  parasite  worm  attached  to  it.  They  kill  the  chick 
by  at  last  crowding  the  windpipe  till  breathing  is  impossible. 
Dirt  and  damp  is,  as  usual,  the  cause  of  this,  as  of  most  other 
diseases.  If  cleanliness  and  carbolic  acid  disinfection  is  freely 
carried  out,  gapes  will  be  unknown.  If  cases  occur,  at  once 
put  fluid  carbolate,  camphor  or  lime,  in  the  water.  If  there  are 
many  cases,  place  the  chicks  in  a  cold  pit  (garden  frame)  and 
fumigate  with  vapor  of  carbolic  acjd  till  they  are  nearly  suffo- 
cated by  its  fumes.  Care  must  be  taken  to  liberate  the  chicks 
at  the  right  moment  or  death  will  ensue,  but  if  well  done  this  is 
an  effectual  cure. 


100  POTJLTBY  BECEITTt. 

No.  2.  Introduce  an  oiled  feather  into  the  windpipe,  turn  it 
twice  and  draw  it  out,  when  the  worms  will  sometimes  come 
with  it. 

No.  3.  Give  1  gr.  calomel,  or  2  to  3  grs.  of  Plummer's  pill, 
make  the  food  hot  with  sulphur  and  ginger  and  wash  the  mouth 
out  with  chloride  of  lime. 

GIDDINESS. 

Produced  usually  by  over-feeding  ;  reduce  diet  and  give 
aperient. 

GRASS. 

If  free  range  in  grass  fields  is  an  impossibility,  arrangements 
must  be  made  with  some  country  children  to  bring  in  supplies, 
as  it  is  very  necessary  for  health  and  egg-production,  not  to 
mention  that  on  its  abundance  depends  the  metallic  lustre  or 
gloss  and  firmness  of .  feather  which  bespeak  robust  health  and 
successful  poultry  management. 

GRASS  RUN 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  combine  hay-making  with  poultry-keep- 
ing. For  six  weeks  before  cutting,  the  birds  must  be  removed 
to  another  field,  or  put  up  in  other  quarters.  This  gives  time 
for  the  run  to  rest  and  be  purified,  aud  the  birds  so  kept  will  be 
in  more  robust  health  than  if  kept  from  year's  end  to  year's  end 
on  the  same  ground  where  only  a  limited  space  of  grass  is  avail- 
able, and  several  pens  open  out  upon  it.  Each  pen  of  birds 
must  be  let  out  in  succession  for  a  few  hours'  run,  but  at  some 
period  of  the  year  the  grass  must  have  perfect  rest.  Grass  runs 
are  a  luxury — not  an  essential — but  the  less  grass  the  more  care 
and  work  will  be  required  to  produce  prize  stock. 
GRAVEL 

A  lime  gravel  is  the  best,  and  it  should  be  screened  to  remove 
any  large  pebbles  which  prevent  the  birds  from  dusting  with 


POULTRY  BBCEIPT8.  101 

comfort.      Every  load  of  gravel  should  be  mixed  with  fine  sand 
or  with  fine  mortar  screenings. 

GREEN  FOOD 

The  best  is  grass,  cut  fresh  daily  ;  2nd,  lettuce  ;  3rd,  spinach  ; 
4th,  cabbage,  chopped  in  a  chopper,  or  tied  up  to  the  wall  or  to 
a  post  for  the  birds  tc  peck  at.  Every  kind  of  green  food  refuse 
from  the  kitchen  garden  is  invaluable,  and  a  daily  supply  must 
be  found.  If  on  a  free  run  of  turf  poultry  will  be  seen  to  graze, 
like  a  flock  of  sheep.  Hay  refuse — out  of  a  hay-loft,  full  of  seeds 
— gives  much  amusement  in  winter  time  and  is  a  good  substitute 
when  green  stuff  is  low.  Chickens  should  have  grass,  lettuce, 
and  hay  seeds  in  preference  to  other  green  stuff. 

CLEANLINESS  OF  GROUND 

Fowls  will  never  touch  food,  if  they  can  help  it,  which  lies 
near  any  droppings  or  on  an  unclean  place.  Special  care  should 
be  taken,  therefore,  to  cleanse  the  ground  of  all  pens  and  runs 
daily.  The  smaller  the  runs  the  greater  must  be  the  cleanliness 
add  labor  spent  upon  it. 

GUINEA  FOWLS 

Are  usually  grey,  having  white  spots  on  the  grey  ground; 
they  are  also  pure  white  (more  rare).  If  hatched  on  the  land 
they  will  remain  and  roost  with  the  poultry  or  on  neighboring 
trees  ;  but  adult  birds  should  never  be  bought,  as  they  will  inev- 
itably fly  away.  The  hens  lay  100  eggs  per  annum,  are  very 
spiteful  to  the  other  poultry,  and  noisy  early  in  the  morning. 
They  sit  about  August,  and  therefore  it  is  wise  to  raise  the 
chicks  by  artificial  incubation,  or  by  setting  the  eggs  under  a 
hen.  Good  chicken  diet  will  suit  the  young  ones  but  more  meat 
is  necessary.  The  hens  like  concealed  nests,  which  should  be 
provided,  or  they  will  lay  away.  They  are  quarrelsome,  and  it 
is  only  when  an  extensive  range  is  available,  that  keeping  the 
Galena  is  found  to  answer. 


103  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

HANDLING  FOWLS. 

If  yon  catch  a  bird  leaving  its  wings  free  a  desperate  struggle 
will  ensue,  likely  to  injure  the  exhibition  plumage  or  to  distract 
the  broody  hen  from  her  vocation.  Approach  the  bird  from  be- 
hind, place  both  hands  firmly  and  quickly  right  over  the  wing- 
joints,  then  slip  the  right  hand  down  and  secure  the  legs  firmly. 
All  fluttering  will  thus  be  avoided,  and  the  bird,  held  by  the 
legs,  with  the  left  hand  under  the  breast,  will  not  offer  resis- 
tance. All  catching  and  handling  of  birds  should  be  done  at 
night,  or  after  first  making  the  pen  dark,  if  this  is  feasible. 

HARD  FEATHER. 

means  the  close,  firm,  appearance  of  a  well-kept  Game  bird.  To 
produce,  feed  on  more  grain  than  meal,  and  give  plenty  of  run 
and  green  food. 

HARDINESS. 

Hamburghs  and  Dorkings  are  supposed  to  be  delicate,  and 
perhaps  are  rather  more  so  than  others  ;  but  with  due  care  and 
shelter,  most  breeds  will  do  well.  Prevent  overcrowding,  damp 
lodgings  and  the  necessity  of  standing  about  in  mud  and  rain 
without  shelter,  and  no  breed  need  be  considered  too  delicate. 
Leghorns  and  Andalusions  seem  very  robust,  and  fear  nothing, 
except  frost  so  severe  as  to  nip  their  large  combs. 
HARM  TO  CROPS. 

Mechi,  who  speaks  with  some  authority  on  farming,  considers 
that  poultry  do  no  harm  to  growing  crops  on  farm-land,  that, 
at  any  rate,  the  damage  to  roots  and  seeds  is  trifling  in  propor- 
tion to  the  good  they  effect  in  destroying  insect  life,  and  the 
wire  worm  especially. 

HAY. 

Must  aofc  be  used  for  poultry^  ao  it  generates  vermin  more 
readily  than  straw. 


FOULTRT  RECEIPTS.  103 

HEAT. 

More  dangerous  in  roosting  places  than  cold ;  if  artificial  heat 
is  given,  it  must  be  with  thorough  ventilation,  or  consumption 
will  ensue,  roup  and  loss  of  stamina.  Heating  of  artificial 
mothers  is  much  overdone,  and  too  little  ventilation  given.  The 
heat  should  not  rise  above  75  degrees  when  all  are  asleep,  or  suf- 
focation will  cause  losses;  for  the  first  three  days,  however, 
chicks  must  be  kept  very  warm,  and  will  repay  particular  care 
in  this  respect.  If  birds  are  kept  in  confined  pens,  facing  south, 
some  shelter  from  the  sun  must  be  rigged  up,  tiffany  or  mats 
hung  up  for  the  midday  hours;  and  the  pen  should  be  syringed 
with  water;  the  fowls  dust  at  once  in  the  cool,  sprinkled  earth. 

HEMP. 

A  great  treat  to  all  poultry,  but  if  used  too  freely  causes  loss 
of  feathers.  A  useful  addition  if  the  bird  is  out  of  condition, 
and  where  feeding  up  is  required  preparatory  to  showing. 

HEREDITARY  DISEASES  OF  FOWLS. 

Consumption  is  the  disease  most  carefully  to  be  guarded 
against.  A  consumptive  strain  will  be  a  constant  source  of 
care  and  disappointment.  Squirrel  tail  is  sure  to  be  reproduced 
in  many  of  the  young  birds.  Wry  tail  is  also  hereditary. 
Crooked  breasts.  Thumb  marks  on  combs,  and  any  peculiarity 
in  the  spikes  of  the  comb.  White  face,  where  red  is  the  proper 
color  is  dangerously  hereditary.  Ear-lobes  splashed  or  marked 
with  red  where  pure  white  is  a  point.  Vulture  hock.  All  these 
defects  will  be  reproduced.  Birds  with  malformations,  or  any- 
thing missing,  such  as  being  short  of  one  toe,  or  having  any 
peculiarities  should  not  be  used  for  breeding. 

HOARSENESS. 

Birds  occasionally,  during  a  wet  or  hard  winter,  beoouae  hoarse 
the  throat  is  evidently  rough.     Warm  weather  will  remove  this. 


4  POULTRY  RECEIPTS 

Glycerine  and  nitric  acid  in  the  drinking  water  will  be  bene- 
ficial. 

HOSPITAL. 

Every  poultry-yard,  in  which,  say,  even  100  birds  are  reared 
yearly,  should  be  provided  with  a  place  specially  devoted  for 
penning  sick  birds,  where  an  invalid  c<*n  be  at  once  isolated  and 
properly  doctored  if  need  be.  This  place  must  be  open  to  the 
sun,  screened  from  the  east  wind,  dust  dry,  freely  ventilated, 
yet  free  from  draught,  and  warm.  The  hospital  should  be 
whitewashed  with  hot  lime  frequently,  and  perfect  cleanliness 
maintained. 

IN-BREEDING 

Means  mating  the  birds  of  one  pen  together,  and  these  again 
with  the  cockerels  and  pullets  produced  by  their  eggs.  This 
must  be  avoided,  or  the  fertility  of  the  eggs  will  be  unsatisfac- 
tory, the  produce  will  diminish  in  size,  and  the  health  of  the 
strain  will  suffer.  To  avoid  it,  a  cockerel  or  two  should  be 
bought  yearly  from  other  yards,  or  some  pens  mnst  be  kept  so 
thoroughly  apart  that  relationships  will  not  be  too  close. 

INDIAN  CORN. 

A  favorite  grain  with  all  poultry  but  not  good  food  unless  the 
birds  are  on  a  wide  range,  being  too  fattening. 
INDIGESTION 

Shows  itself  by  the  birds  going  about  moping,  and  disliking 
plain  food.  Give  5  or  6  grs.  of  rhubarb,  and  once  or  twice  a 
grain  of  calomel ;  feed  on  cooked  soft  food,  and  let  the  bird 
walk  about  free,  in  a  garden  if  possible,  where  it  will  pick  up 
what  is  wholesome  for  itself. 

INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  LUNGS. 

A  sudden  chill  is  the  usual  cause  of  this  dangsrous  malady, 
and  it  is  especially  necessary  to  guard  against  it  with  artificially 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  105 

reared  chicks  very  early  in  the  season.  Going  out  early  in  cold 
March  winds  after  having  nestled  very  warm  (it  may  be  too 
warm)  under  a  hot  water  mother  is  most  productive  of  this 
well-nigh  incurable  illness.  A  healthy  strain  will  not  be  subject 
to  this  disease  unless  unduly  exposed. 

INSECT  FOOD. 

Wood-lice,  w©rms,  ants'  nests,  and  maggots  are  excellent 
food  for  young  chickens.  Ants'  nests  can  be  procured  by  coun- 
try children;  and  for  a  supply  of  maggots  place  some  meal- 
worms in  an  open  shed  in  a  box  with  part  of  an  old  mealbag; 
Jai  in  a  dead  bird  now  and  then,  and  a  regular  supply  can  be 
kept  up. 

BREWERS1  GRAINS. 

Thrown  in  a  heap  and  a  dead  bird  or  rat  buried  in  them  will 
also  produce  a  supply  of  maggots. 

JALAP. 

One  tablespoonful  to  twenty-five  birds,  in  the  food,  promotes 
laying. 

JOURNEYS 

If  long,  are  best  accomplished  by  night.  The  darkness  con- 
duces to  sleep  and  quiet,  and  an  extra  day  of  confinement  and 
loss  of  food  is  not  incurred.  Twenty-four  hours  before  the  bird 
starts  it  is  well  to  write  a  line  to  advise  the  recipient  of  the  fact 
as  delay  is  thus  prevented. 

KILLING  FOR  TABLE. 

This  is  done  in  various  ways,  but  whatever  be  the  manner 
let  the  birds  fast  for  at  least  fourteen  hours  before  death.  One 
of  the  most  humane  methods  is  to  tie  up  the  legs  and  bind  the 
cord  twice  or  thrice  round  the  wings,  and  then  with  a  v«ry 


10$  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

sharp  axe  to  chop  off  the  head  on  a  wooden  block.  Draw  the 
skin  at  once  over  the  stump  after  the  bird  has  been  hung  up  by 
the  heels  to  bleed  thoroughly.  Another  way  is  to  cut  the  jug- 
ular vein  and  bleed  well. 

LACED  FEATHERS 

Have  a  narrow  border  round  the  edge  different  in  color  01 
shade  from  the  ground  color.  __ 

LAMENESS. 

Examine  the  feet  and  if  no  cause  can  be  discovered  then  con- 
sider whether  there  are  too  few  hens  to  each  cock.  This  will 
produce  a  lame  or  feeble  way  of  walking,  which  should  at  once 
be  prevented  by  the  addition  of  more  hens  to  the  pen. 

TO  SECURE  EARLY  LAYING. 

Hatch  early,  and  do  not  move  pullets  about  to  various  runt 
while  they  are  maturing.  Do  not  depend  on  old  hens,  but  on 
March  pullets,  kept  in  warm  quarters  fed  on  meat  and  plenty  of 
green  food,  besides  grain;  occasional  treats  of  bread  soaked  in 
ale,  hot,  and  a  few  pounded  chillies  mixed  in  the  food,  and 
given  hot  at  daybreak  will  hasten  the  filling  of  the  winter  egg 
basket. 

LAYING  MIXTURES. 

There  are  many  mixtures  and  condiments  advertised  in  the 
poultry  journals  daily,  which  have  the  effect  of*  stimulating  the 
hen's  laying  powers  if  desired,  but  few  will  be  needed  and  many 
are  prejudicial ;  and  if  the  above  diet  is  kept  to,  the  birds  must 
lay;  if  they  do  not,  either  suspect  and  look  out  for  rats,  or  egg 
eating  hens  in  the  flock,  or  a  need  for  padlocks  to  the  laying 
pens.  A  very  effective  egg-producing  mixture  is  one  oz.  of 
Glauber  salts  given  in  a  meal  of  potatoes  three  or  four  days  run- 
ning, 1  oz.  to  ten  fowls ;  but  this  must  only  be  tried  on  com- 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS  10? 

mon  laying  stock.    It  is  effective,  but  dangerous,  and  must  be 
used  rarely  and  with  caution. 

TO  PREVENT  LAYING. 

Birds  for  show  have  at  times  to  be  kept  back.  They  are  in 
show  form  just  when  they  begin  to  lay,  and  never  look  so  well 
after.  If  you  are  early  and  wish  to  delay  the  laying  and  to  pro- 
long the  period  of  growth  move  the  pullets  about  from  one  run 
to  another. 

LEG-WEAKNESS. 

Chickens  brought  up  on  boarded  floors,  without  a  free  run  or 
exercise,  are  subject  to  this;  or  if  kept  in  heated  places  or  on  too 
stimulating  diet.  To  prevent  it  from  a  week  old  give  free  range 
with  beds  at  night  of  dry,  sandy  earth  to  sleep  upon.  Feed 
with  bone-dust  mixed  in  meal,  and  give  chemical  food  in  the 
drinking  water  or  thirty  drops  twice  daily,  of  the  syrup  of  hypo- 
phosphite  of  soda. 

LIGHT-COLORED  YOLKS. 

These  show  an  insufficiency  of  iron  and  sulphur  in  tjie  food, 
also  absence  of  green  food. 

LIME. 

An  absolute  necessity  in  the  formation  of  the  egg-shell,  and 
for  the  proper  action  of  the  digestive  organs.  No  fowls  should 
be  left  without  it.  Any  builder  will  supply  old  mortar  and  rub- 
ble for  the  cost  of  carting.  This  must  be  screened  and  placed 
in  dry  covered  runs. 

LIMIT  TO  NUMBERS. 

It  is  pretty  well  ascertained  that  fowls  do  not  succeed  if  kept 
in  too  large  flocks,  however  extensive  the  range  may  be.  If  kept 
in  separate  flocks  of  fifty  or  less  they  pay  and  answer  better. 


108  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

LIST  OF  FOODS. 

Grains.— Barley,   buckwheat,   hemp,   linseed,  millet,  maize, 
oats,  Scotch  groats,  wheat. 
Meals. — Barley-meal,  Indian  corn  meal,  linseed,  oatmeal. 

AIDS    IN  FEEDING. 

Bone-dust,  Spratt's  Food,  rice,  oyster  shell,  salt,  meat,  house- 
scraps,  bones,  liver,  fat,  fish,  hay  seeds,  sun-flower  seeds,  red 
chillies,  etc.,  green  food  of  all  sorts. 

If  feeding  is  carried  out  with  judgment,  and  changes  are  rung 
upon  the  foods  above  named,  the  poultry  will  be  kept  in  health, 
and  will  produce  chicks  with  good,  vigorous  constitutions. 

LIVER  DISEASE. 

Indigestion  is  often  disregarded  until  it  develops  into  disease 
of  the  liver.  The  birds  mope  about,  show  an  irregular  appetite 
and  a  bilious  yellow  hue  appears  in  place  of  the  coral-red  which 
a  thoroughly  healthy  bird  should  show  in  face,  comb  and  wat- 
tles. Doses  of  aperient  medicine,  preceded  by  a  grain  or  two 
grains  of  calomel,  will  at  times  effect  a  cure  if  the  case  is  not  of 
long  standing. 

LOBES,  OR  DEAF  EARS. 

Are  the  folds  of  skin,  either  pure  white  or  red,  cream  color  or 
blue,  according  to  breed,  which  hang  from  the  true  ear,  large 
Jn  some  races  as  the  Spanish,  small  in  others,  as  in  Dorkings. 
Whiteness  is  best  preserved  by  keeping  the  birds  out  of  strong 
sunshine.  Fighting  may  produce  an  unsightly  scar,  of  the  lobe 
if  cocks  get  together.  Oxide  of  zinc  in  powder  dusted  over  the 
lobe  will  preserve  it  from  the  effects  of  hard  weather,  and  zinc 
ointment,  (benzoated)  will  be  found  useful  in  softening  and 
preserving  the  texture  in  show  birds.  Should  red  ticks  or  spots 
appear,  give  less  exposure.    If  brown  spots  appear  on  lobes 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  109 

originally  pure  white,  they  may  be  from  too  rich  feeding.  Re- 
duce the  diet,  and  doctor  the  lobes  with  glycerine  and  carbolic 
acid  (5  grains  to  the  ounce),  or  with  sulphurous  acid  in  water, 
2£  drachms  to  the  ounce. 

LOSS  OF  APPETITE. 

When  this  occurs  suddenly,  give  half  a  teaspoonful  of  Epsom 
salts  ;  this  will  often  start  laying. 

MANURE. 

Poultry  manure  should  always  be  saved ;  it  is  most  valuable 
if  kept  dry.  A  water-tight  tub  with  a  cover  should  stand  at  the 
door  of  each  block  of  poultry-houses,  into  which  the  droppings 
can  be  thrown  as  free  from  sand  and  extraneous  matter  as  pos- 
sible. A  little  earth  or  ashes  sprinkled  over  it  will  effectually 
deodorise,  and  do  no  harm. 

MARCH,  WORK  FOR. 

Hatching  must  now  be  in  full  swing,  as  it  is  important  to  get 
the  bulk  of  all  valuable  stock  out  before  the  31st.  Stock 
for  table  may  be  hatched  throughout  the  year.  Allow  chicks 
all  the  freedom  possible ;  do  not  shut  up  in  small  places,  or  cramp 
will  result ;  the  more  they  run  the  better.  Eschew  board  floors. 
Give  plenty  of  milk.  Chicks  are  much  helped  by  warm  food. 
It  is  of  more  importance  to  give  food  warm,  sweet,  fresh,  and 
very  frequently,  than  to  pamper  the  appetite  with  condiments 
and  luxuries.  Stock  pens  should  be  let  out  in  the  grass  runs 
whenever  the  weather  is  not  bad.  Stimulants  should  be  dropped 
by  degrees  if  they  have  been  resorted  to  ;  but  the  clever  poultry- 
keeper's  account  for  these  will  be  small.  Preserve  eggs  from 
frost  if  for  hatching.     Put  false  eggs  into  the  nests  to  encourage 


110  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

laying  and  sitting.  Birds  must  be  put  under  restraint  in  wet 
and  severe  cold ;  our  climate  will  not  allow  of  free  range  in  win- 
ter. The  birds  will  not  really  range,  but  will  stand  about  and 
get  chilled  and  wet ;  hence  much  of  the  failure  in  poultry-farms. 
Supply  large  covered  runs,  open  to  air  and  sun-gleams,  but  dry. 

MARKING  CHICKENS* 

It  is  possible  with  the  hot  point  of  aneedle  to  perforate  the  wing 
membrane  with  one,  two,  three,  or  more  holes,  marking  the 
various  hatches  or  strains.  Colored  cotton  round  the  leg  answers, 
but  must  be  changed  as  the  size  of  the  leg  increases,  or  it  will 
lame  the  chick  by  growing  into  the  flesh. 

MATING. 

If  early  chickens  are  wanted,  mating  should  be  arranged  by 
the  end  of  November.  Pullets  and  hens  over  their  moult  will 
begin  laying  about  a  month  after  mating.  Any  great  faults  in 
the  hen  must  be  counteracted  by  the  influence  of  the  cock,  or  the 
fault  will  be  exaggerated  in  the  progeny.  All  birds  with  marked 
defects  must  be  excluded,  and  only  the  best  bred  from.  When 
once  mated  the  pens  should  not  be  disturbed,  as  any  change  may 
be  the  cause  of  unfertile  eggs. 

MAY,  WORK  FOR. 

Hatch  on  still  for  late  shows,  and  for  supplying  successional 
pullets.  Do  not  spare  the  sulphur  dredger,  and  water  the  nests 
with  hot  water  frequently  if  the  weather  is  dry.  Elder  broods 
should  all  be  sorted,  cockerels  to  one  run,  pullets  to  another; 
and  more  air  should  be  given  at  night,  while  rain  and  wet  grass 
by  day  are  not  so  likely  to  hurt  the  chicks  as  the  weather  grows 
warmer.    Plumage  of  last  year's  show  birds  will  now  grow  brit- 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  Ill 

tie ;  guard  birds  intended  for  show  from  storms,  mud,  and  strong 
sunshine.  Dust  heaps  and  baths  should  be  cleansed,  thoroughly- 
renewed,  and  well  mixed  with  sulphur  powder.  Unlimited  green 
food  should,  as  usual,  be  given  to  old  and  young  stock.  The 
food  for  Turkey  chicks  should  be  frequent  and  plentiful. 
Potatoes,  barley,  wheat,  oatmeal,  turnips,  Spratt,  milk,  rice 
boiled;  soft  food  mixed  with  plenty  of  lime  and  brick-dust 
will  fatten  and  keep  them  in  health.  They  are  very  susceptible 
to  damp  during  the  first  week,  and  should  be  protected  from 
showers. 

MEALS. 

Number  in  the  day  for  adult  birds  three.  At  daybreak  in 
winter,  at  6  a.  m.  in  summer ;  at  midday ;  and  at  5  p.  m. 

MEAT  PRODUCERS. 

For  delicacy  only,  Game  is  the  first.  For  delicacy  and  size, 
Dorking,  La  Fleche,  Crevecceur,  Houdan,  Langshan,  Malay, 
and  Brahma-Dorking  with  their  crosses. 

MILK  FOR  CHICKENS. 

Boiled  milk  given  warm  is  decidedly  good  for  chickens,  and 
prevents  diarrhoea.  It  is  indispensable  for  prize-bred  chickens, 
and  should  be  given  at  least  every  night  and  morning.  Nothing 
is  worse  than  allowing  milk  to  stand  about  and  get  sour.  All 
milk  pans  should  be  scrubbed  twice  daily  with  hot  water. 

TO  HASTEN  MOULT. 

Pen  up  cocks  apart  from  hens  in  a  warm  place,  with  deep 
sand  and  mortar  siftings.  Keep  them  very  warm  at  night ;  the 
older  the  bird  the  warmer  it  should  be  kept.     The  process  of 


112  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

moulting  takes  about  two  months,  but  at  times  much  less.  Food 
should  be  given  warm,  very  little  at  a  time,  and  not  stimulating 
when  first  penned  up  ;  then  generous  diet,  with  a  touch  of  red 
chillies  in  it ;  and  in  the  gallon  of  drinking  water  put  sulphate 
of  iron  the  size  of  two  filberts,  and  ten  drops  of  sulphuric  acid. 
Non-sitting  hens  can  be  hurried  on  by  taking  away  all  stimula- 
ting food  and  placing  them  in  a  fresh  house.  As  soon  as  moult 
begins  feed  well.  Should  birds  moult  too  slowly,  and  look  ail- 
ing, give  two  or  three  one-grain  doses  of  calomel,  a  dose  of  jalap, 
soft  food,  and  meat.  If  the  weather  is  cold,  a  pill  now  and  again 
of  two  or  three  grains  of  cayenne  is  useful.  The  Spanish  tribes 
moult  late  and  hard ;  birds  with  shabby  feathers  in  July  cannot 
be  ready  in  time  for  September  exhibition.  If  required  early 
they  must  be  preserved  from  injury,  for  moult  cannot  be  hurried 
on  so  early  in  the  season.  Meat,  green  food,  a  little  pepper,  and 
ale,  with  warm  housing  at  night,  will  bring  all  birds  comfortably 
through  the  moulting  season.  If  the  shaft  of  the  new  feathers 
seems  to  stick  on  for  a  long  time,  not  splitting  open  freely,  more 
stimulating  diet  should  be  allowed  ;  meat,  linseed,  and  hemp. 

NEST  EGGS. 

Should  be  of  china  or  painted  wood.  It  is  a  very  slovenly  and 
bad  plan  to  put  addled  eggs  about  as  nest  eggs  ;  if  broken  they 
will  pollute  the  nest  and  hen's  feathers  also,  and  render  her  other- 
wise  than  sweet  and  wholesome  for  the  next  valuable  eggs  she 
may  be  required  to  incubate. 

NESTS  FOR  LAYING. 

Hens  like  to  be  secluded  when  they  lay  and  sit ;  nests  afford- 
ing shelter  from  the  vulgar  gaze  will  therefore  be  preferred. 
The  nest  should  not  be  so  formed  that  the  hen  must  jump  into 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  118 

it ;  this  shakes  the  eggs  at  times  so  violently  as  to  break  them. 
A  box  with  the  bottom  and  one  side  taken  out  will  form  a  snug 
nest,  if  put  next  a  wall  and  kept  well  supplied  with  fresh  straw 
chopped  in  short  lengths.  If  rats  abound  raise  the  nests  from 
the  floor.  The  wire  basket  nests  sold  in  various  sizes  suited  to 
the  different  breeds  are  excellent.  These  are  hung  on  the  walls 
of  the  house,  but  if  put  high  a  board  must  be  fixed  to  the  wall 
hard  by  the  basket,  so  that  the  hen  can  get  quietly  into  the  nest 
without  jumping  in.  Change  the  straw  or  whatever  be  the 
material  often — hens  appreciate  cleanliness —  but  do  not  change 
the  position  of  the  nest,  as  it  gives  offence  to  laying  hens,  and 
they  may  punish  you  by  laying  no  eggs  for  a  day  or  two. 

NIGHT  ACCOMMODATION  FOR  CHICKS 

Musfr  be  dry,  warm,  ventilated,  and  secure  from  rats,  very 
clean,  and  supplied  with  broad,  low  perches  or  shelves,  not 
touching  a  wall,  covered  with  straw. 

NUMBER  OF  HENS  TO  COCK. 

Five  to  one  cock  if  the  eggs  are  being  sold  for  prize  stock  at 
prize  stock  price ;  but  if  for  ordinary  farm  purposes,  eight,  or 
even  ten  on  a  free  range. 

NUMBER  OF  DUCKS  TO  DRAKE. 

If  there  are  twelve  ducks  three  drakes  would  be  advisable, 
and  so  on  in  proportion  ;  but  the  eggs  are  more  fertile  if  a  drake 
and  four  or  five  ducks  are  kept  in  separate  flocks,  for  in  a  large 
flock  the  drakes  are  apt  to  be  quarrelsome  and  interfering. 

OATMEAL. 

Scotch  is  the  best ;  though  expensive  it  pays  for  prize  poultry; 
the  birds  get  on  wonderfully  wheu  fed  upon  it  as  a  staple  article 


114  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

of  diet,  mixed  dry  with  rice  boiled  in  milk  till  it  crumbles 
into  a  fragile  matt. 

OATS. 

Too  much  husk  to  be  a  favorite  grain  with  poultry,  but  very 
good  in  change  with  other  corn. 

OLD  CHICKS. 

The  first  brood  of  the  season  is  sure  to  get  especial  and  indi- 
vidual attention  in  the  way  of  constant  feeding,  delicate  diet, 
replenished  hot-water  mothers,  and  various  delicate  attentions. 
Care  should  be  taken  as  the  numbers  increase  that  the  interest 
does  not  flag,  and  that  younger  chicks  are  not  left  on  short 
commons  in  the  way  of  food,  tit-bits,  warmth,  and  all  the  care 
without  which  they  will  not  be  a  success. 

OLD  FOWLS  FOR  TABLE. 

Nothing  is  more  trying  than  a  tough  old  hen  for  dinner.  The 
poultry  papers  give  invaluable  receipts  for  rendering  old  mem- 
bers of  the  poultry  yard  as  tender  as  the  young  ones.  For  this 
very  long  and  gentle  stewing  is  necessary.  An  old  hen  stuffed 
with  mustard,  salt,  and  pepper,  is  excellent. 

For  an  old  stager  of  four  years  the  following  is  advised.  Kill 
her,  pick,  and  wrap  while  warm  in  vine  leaves,  then  bury  her, 
and  let  her  lie  for  twenty-four  hours  in  sweet  earth.  Lastly,  boil 
very  gently  in  good  stock,  and  the  result  is  tenderness  as  of  a 
chicken. 

ONIONS. 

Almost  all  green  food  is  valuable  for  poultry,  and  should  be 
collected  carefully  and  thrown  to  the  birds  fresh  daily,  but 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS,  115 

onion-tops  and  onions  must  be  carefully  excluded,  as  hens  are 
fond  of  them,  and  the  eggs  will  taste  very  strong  and  unpleas- 
ant after  they  have  eaten  them. 


ORCHARD. 

Orchards  are  far  preferable  to  open  fields  for  poultry  farm  pur- 
poses ;  the  shelter  of  leaves  in  summer  is  very  beneficial.  Cank- 
erworms  and  caterpillars  falling  from  the  trees  are  consumed, 
windfalls  are  made  use  of  instead  of  harboring  vermin,  which 
again  creep  up  and  destroy  good  fruit. 

OVER-FATTENING. 

Care  must  be  taken  not  to  keep  the  birds  penned  up  for  cram- 
ming a  day  after  the  process  is  complete,  for  after  a  oertain 
time  disease  and  emaciation  will  set  in. 


PACKING  EGGS  FOR  HATCHING. 

Sudden  or  sharp  jerks  and  jars  are  to  be  warded  off  by  the 
packing  medium.  For  thirteen  eggs,  get  a  box,  inside  measure 
about  12  by  6  inches.  Sew  a  strong  piece  of  canvas  to  the  edges 
of  the  bottom  of  the  box,  leaving  the  canvas  loose,  so  that  it 
can  be  filled  up  with  hay  pad.  Wrap  each  egg  in  paper,  then 
pass  round  it  a  wisp  of  hay.  Proceed  to  bed  the  eggs  in,  small 
end  uppermost,  with  hay  between,  and  as  you  pack  fill  up  all 
spaces  with  chaff;  lastly,  put  a  layer  of  hay  at  the  top,  and 
screw  the  lid  on  the  box.  The  address  should  be  clearly  writ- 
ten, with — "Eggs  for  hatching."  "Not  to  be  shaken." 
"Immediate." 


116  POULTRY   RECEIPTS. 

PAINTING  FEATHERS,  LEGS,  ETC. 

An  elaborate  species  of  deception  practised  by  some  dishonest 
exhibitors.  Leghorns'  legs  have  been  found  to  be  painted  or 
dyed  of  a  bright  yellow  color. 

PARALYSIS 

May  be  complete,  or  only  of  the  legs.  In  either  case  it  is 
impossible  to  cure  thoroughly,  and  the  bird  will  always  have  a 
lame  or  awkward  gait.  Unless  a  peculiarly  valuable  prize  bird, 
it  will  be  best  to  kill  it.  Daily  faradization  might  be  useful, 
and  might  be  carried  out  on  a  valuable  bird,  with  the  aid  of  gen- 
tle doses  of  strychnia  when  the  case  is  partially  recovering. 

PARASITES. 

Parasites  should  not  exist,  and  their  presence  in  any  number 
shows  great  want  of  cleanliness.  If  whitewash,  dust  baths, 
sulphur,  and  Persian  powder,  etc.,  fail,  apply  petroleum  oint- 
ment under  the  wings',  about  head  and  inner  part  of  thighs,  but 
this  is  a  very  severe  measure.  Syringe  the  house  with  hot  water, 
in  which  carbolic  acid  is  dissolved,  a  wine-glassful  to  the  gallon. 

A  tobacco  leaf  in  the  nest  will  drive  off  insects,  and  keep  lay- 
ing nests  free  of  these  pests.  A  few  insects  may  collect  under 
the  wings  and  under  the  thighs  of  birds,  especially  those  which 
are  a  little  out  of  condition  and  chickens  reared  by  broody  hens, 
which  are  collected  haphazard  from  neighboring  farms,  but  they 
ought  quickly  to  be  got  rid  of  by  the  clever  poultry  keeper,  and 
should  be  the  exception,  not  the  rule.  There  is  nothing  better 
than  Persian  powder  mixed  with  sulphur,  used  out  of  a  dredger, 
for  powdering  chickens ;  a  dash  of  it  over  the  head  and  neck, 


POULTRY   RECEIPTS.  11? 

another  between  the  legs  and  under  each  wing,  will  clean  the 
chick  in  a  day.  It  is  very  necessary  to  pen  the  chicks  in  a  bare 
pen  devoid  of  straw  for  an  hour  or  two  after  the  operation,  and 
then  when  let  out  boiling  water  should  be  poured  over  the 
ground  where  the  insects  have  fallen  ;  this  prevents  their  recov- 
ery and  cleanses  the  place. 

PARSNIPS, 

Boiled,  are  good  for  poultry-food,  and  assist  laying. 

PEA  COMB. 

Such  as  is  seen  in  both  varieties  of  Brahama  ;  the  comb  is  in 
three  ridges,  the  centre  one  rising  above  the  outside  ones,  all 
distinct,  and  all  firm,  and  compact,  rising  from  the  front  and 
arching  back. 

PEKIN  DUCKS. 

The  largest  ducks  known.  Chief  characteristics  ;  brilliant 
orange  bills  and  feet ;  white  plumage,  with  the  under  parts  of 
canary  hue  ;  boat-shaped  bodies,  and  a  strikingly  erect,  penguin- 
like carriage.  They  do  not  seem  to  reach  such  heavy  weights 
as  the  Aylesbury  or  Rouen,  though  larger  to  look  at.  The  first 
prize  pair  at  Birmingham,  1879,  scaled  under  14  lbs.,  while 
Aylesbury  and  Rouen  reached  a  weight  of  over  22  lbs.  in  1878. 
They  fatten  quickly,  and  are  a  contented  and  quiet  breed.  It  is 
possible  to  keep  them  in  confinement,  and  to  get  plenty  of  eggs 
with  a  fair  percentage  of  ducklings,  even  though  the  parents 
have  no  more  water  than  is  supplied  by  a  rain  tank  sunk  in  the 
ground  four  feet  by  six.  This  can  be  done,  but  free  range  with 
ponds  or  a  brook  is,  of  course,  better  still  for  breeding  stock. 
Pekins  are  not  fanciful  as  to  iood,  take  willingly  all  that  is  given 
them,  and  the  ducklings  fatten  quickly  to  a  large  size. 


118  K>ttLTRY  BECBtPTS. 

PEN  FOR   BREEDING  STOCK. 

Should  have  a  grass  run  attached  besides  the  covered  run, 
where  the  birds  may  be  left  in  peace  to  go  in  and  out  as  they 
like.  The  less  they  are  fussed  the  more  fertile  will  be  the  eggs. 
For  sale  of  prize  eggs  at  high  prices  put  four  hens  to  the  cock ; 
for  farm  work,  or  for  house  supply  of  eggs  and  chickens,  eight 
to  one  cock.  If  only  for  egg  production,  not  hatching,  any 
number  to  one  cock. 

PENCILLED  FEATHERS. 

Have  no  moon,  no  border,  but  dark  bars  in  parallel  lines 
across  lighter  ground. 

PERCH. 

Allow  six  inches  for  each  fowl.  The  best  is  a  pole  sawn  in 
half,  with  the  knots  cut  off  smooth,  the  bark  left  on.  The  perch 
should  not  be  placed  high  when  there  is  no  space  for  the  birds 
to  fly  down  with  a  gradual  swoop,  as  is  natural  to  them  when 
roosting  in  the  open  ;  three  feet  from  the  ground  in  confined 
placejs  is  high  enough,  the  perch  should  be  far  enough  from  the 
back  wall  to  keep  the  tail  plumage  clear ;  carelessness  in  this 
causes  much  mischief.  Broad,  low  perches  should  be  erected 
in  sunny  spots  about  the  run ;  fowls  delight  in  perching  to  preen 
themselves  after  meals. 


PIP. 


A  name  given  to  a  dry  scaly  substance  on  the  tongue  of  sick 
birds ;  it  comes  when  the  breathing  is  obstructed  through  the 
nostril,  and  if  the  bird's  health  is  restored  the  pip  will  vanish. 
The  mouth  may  be  cleaned  with  Condy  or  chlorinated  soda. 


POUI/TRT  RECEIPTS.  119 

PLUCKING 

Should  be  done  while  the  bird  is  warm.  An  excellent  plan  in 
small  establishments,  where  there  is  small  accommodation  for 
feathers,  is  to  have  newspaper  bags  made  and  when  a  fowl  is 
plucked  let  the  feathers  be  put  into  it.  These  can  be  at  once 
baked  in  the  oven,  which  will  destroy  any  live  stock,  and  the 
store  of  feathers  may  be  put  by,  in  a  compact,  cleanly  way,  for 
sale  when  the  season  is  over ;  a  collection  of  dirty  feathers  in 
any  other  way  is  very  objectionable.  Pekin  and  Aylesbury 
Ducks'  feathers  are  very  valuable,  as  also  is  goose  down,  which 
fetches  the  highest  price. 

PLUMAGE. 

The  thing  to  be  aimed  at  is  a  close,  firm,  plumage,  with  a 
brilliant  gloss  upon  it ;  grass  runs  will  give  this.  To  attain  it 
in  confinement  exceeding  care,  extreme  cleanliness,  and  clever 
management  in  feeding,  are  necessary.  Hemp  and  sunflower 
seeds  are  excellent  for  imparting  a  glossy  appearance ;  too  much 
must  not  be  given,  or  feathers  will  drop  off. 

PRECOCIOUS  CHICKENS. 

None  are  more  so  than  the  Andalusian,  Minorca,  and  Leg- 
horn. Cockerels  of  these  breeds  will  crow  at  two  months,  and 
call  the  other  chickens  to  feed,  giving  up  to  them  delicate  mor- 
sels like  gallant  old  birds.  It  is  well  in  such  cases  to  separate 
the  cockerels  from  the  pullets. 

PREVENT  HEN  SITTING. 

Put  the  hen  into  a  new  run  of  poultry ;  the  change  of  cock 
and  companions  may  have  good  results,  and  the  loss  of  the 


120  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

favorite  nest  at  the  same  time  completes  the  cure.  Dipping 
hens  in  water  and  putting  them  into  solitary  confinement  on 
short  commons  is  cruel  and  unnecessary. 

PRIZE  BIRDS,  THEIR  TREATMENT. 

Hatched  in  the  three  first  months  of  the  year,  they  must  be 
well  fed  and  well  housed,  never  chilled,  and  yet  allowed  perfect 
freedom  on  the  grass  runs  whenever  fine  and  dry.  Soft  food 
should  have  bone-dust  mixed  with  it,  and  the  meals  should  be 
ample  and  frequent,  but  never  so  large  as  to  remain  uneaten 
and  to  get  sour ;  meat  and  green  food  should  be  given  in  plenty ; 
at  from  three  to  four  months  the  cockerels  should  be  separated 
from  the  pullets ;  no  crowding,  no  want  of  cleanliness  should  be 
allowed,  and  no  roughing  it  in  bad  weather,  or  the  feathers  will 
be  soiled.  These  must  be  kept  spotlessly  fresh,  and  care  must 
be  taken  that  no  rough  wire,  or  ill-made  doors  or  awkward 
perches,  injure  the  plumage,  on  which  prizes  to  a  great  extent 
depend.  Three  weeks  before  the  show,  pen  the  birds,  cook  and 
pullet  separately,  giving  each  a  friendly  companion  of  their 
own  sex ;  feed  on  bread-and-milk,  wheat,  and  twice  or  three 
times  a  week  give  linseed  ;  boil  it  till  it  is  in  a  jelly  and  mix  in 
oatmeal  till  it  is  friable ;  this  will  gloss  the  plumage.  Also 
give  barley-meal  and  sharps,  buckwheat,  a  little  hemp,  oat- 
meal-and-milk,  with  a  little  meat.  Let  the  pens  be  deep  in 
fresh  straw  ;  see  that  the  dust-baths  are  very  clean.  Two  days 
before  the  show  give  night  and  morning  a  meal  of  rice  boiled  in 
milk,  and  plenty  of  wheat ;  a  little  meat  chopped  into  the  rice 
is  much  enjoyed.  Rice  is  to  prevent  any  chance  of  diarrhoea  in 
the  show  pens,  which  would  entail  extra  soiling  of  the  plumage. 
Green  food  is  to  be  given  in  plenty,  preferable  grass  and  lettuce 
and  spinach.  Forty-eight  hours  before  showing  wash  the  birds 
if  need  be.     Feed  as  above  till  an  hour  before  starting.     Lastly, 


KTOLTRY  BECEIPTS.  121 

wash  the  comb,  face,  etc.,  with  soap  and  water,  dry  it,  and  rub 
it  over  with  a  little  vinegar ;  give  each  bird  a  teaspoonful  of 
port  wine ;  they  will  then  sleep  instead  of  fretting  in  the  rail- 
road car.  Inside  the  basket  at  the  side  tie  the  top  of  a  loaf 
soaked  with  port  wine,  and  a  lettuce,  to  peck  at;  this  will 
bring  them  in  good  spirits  and  condition  to  the  show  pen.  Do 
not  omit,  three  days  before  the  show,  to  give  the  cockerel  or 
cock  a  hen  in  his  pen,  but  not  one  which  is  to  be  exhibited. 
He  will  then  not  take  much  notice  when  the  show  pullet  is 
introduced  into  the  exhibition  basket,  and  this  should  be  done 
about  three  hours  before  the  train  leaves  to  insure  that  no  fight- 
ing occurs. 

PRIZE  POULTRY. 

Does  it  pay?  There  is  no  doubt  that  keeping  poultry  for 
exhibition  and  the  sale  of  thorough-bred  stock  is  remunerative 
if  you  can  combine  it  with  the  sale  of  eggs  and  table  poultry. 
Prizes  bring  no  grist  to  the  mill,  the  expenses  of  exhibiting 
being  great,  while  the  enormous  charges  of  the  railway  com- 
panies consume  the  profits  of  even  first-class  prizes. 

PRODUCE  HATCHED,  GOOD  AVERAGE, 

Out  of  first-class  prize  eggs :  chicks  seven  out  of  twelve 
traveled  prize  stock  eggs :  twelve  first-class  birds  fit  to  show 
out  of  two  hundred  chicks,  Spanish  ;  eight  first-class  birds  fit  to 
show  out  of  two  hundred  chicks  of  other  breeds.  Another 
great  breeder  says  he  has  nineteen  walks  of  Dorkings,  cock  and 
four  hens  in  each  ;  by  the  1st  of  April  he  has  172  chicks,  by  1st 
of  May  400.  If  he  gets  fifty  prize  birds  fit  to  show,  and  many 
of  these  to  win,  and  150  fair  birds  besides,  he  considers  it  a 
very  lucky  year.  If  properly  managed,  an  egg  farm  could  be 
very  well  kept  up  at  the  same  time  that  breeding  for  exhibition 


133  POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  i 

is  carried  out.  Exhibiting  is  expensive  work,  but  it  is  neces- 
sary, that  the  prize  stock  may  become  known ;  when  this  is 
accomplished  it  may  be  discontinued  as  an  unnecessary  expense. 
To  pick  out  six  or  ten  birds  fit  to  show  and  win  entails  the 
hatching  of  say  two  hundred  birds  annually.  Those  falling 
short  of  the  show  standard  can  be  drafted  into  the  laying  or 
fattening  pens  at  once. 

PULLETS. 

The  pullet  is  so  called  for  twelve  months,  or  until  the  year  in 
which  she  was  hatched  is  closed.  Pullets  hatched  in  April, 
1880,  for  instance,  would  go  through  all  the  shows  of  that  sea- 
son, from  July  to  the  following  February  or  March,  as  a  pullet, 
and  so  with  the  cockerels.  Pullets  should  not  be  mated  till  they 
are  five  months  old,  and  then  with  an  adult  cock  rather  than 
with  a  cockerel.  That  their  eggs  do  not  hatch  is  an  error; 
they  do  so  as  well  as  those  of  older  birds,  but  the  produce  is  not 
quite  so  vigorous  unless  the  pullet  was  hatched  quite  early,  in 
February  or  March. 

PULLETS  NOT  LAYING. 

If  over  six  months  old  they  are  either  over-fed,  which  can  be 
ascertained  by  feeling  their  condition  and  weighing  ;  or  possibly 
Underfed ;  if  pullets  are  much  exhibited  and  the  runs  often 
changed  this  will  prevent  egg  production.  Should  the  birds  be 
thin  give  meat  and  a  little  stimulant,  as  red  chillies  or  condi- 
ment, buckwheat,  sunflower  seeds  ;  if  fat,  reduce  diet  and  give 
an  aperient.     Constant  exhibiting  is  very  fatal  to  laying. 

PURITY  TO   BE  PRESERVED. 

Unless  the  accommodation  is  very  ample,  it  is  a  great  mistake, 
when  going  in  for  prize  poultry,  to  try  several  breeds  at  on* 


IWJLTRY  RECEIPTS.  123 

time.  Amateurs  are  fond  of  doing  this.  The  danger  of  mix- 
ing the  breeds  is  too  great,  and  should  not  be  lightly  run  when 
eggs  are  sold  at  prize  prices. 

QUANTITY  OF  FOOD. 

It  is  impossible  to  feed  fowls  or  chickens  by  measure.  Never 
leave  food  to  be  trodden  about,  let  all  be  eaten  up  clean. 

REPLETION. 

Some  birds  will  over-eat  themselves,  and  mope  about  after 
meals  in  a  dejected  manner.  This  may  be  the  fore-runner  of 
more  severe  disease  from  over-feeding. 

RHEUMATISM 

Shows  itself  in  the  same  way  as  in  human  beings  ;  stiffness  of 
joints,  contraction  of  the  toes,  and  a  painful  gait.  Warm 
quarters ;  a  hot  bath  for  the  legs,  which  should  be  bandaged 
with  flannel,  and  rubbing  the  legs  with  chloroform  or  soap  lini- 
ment, are  useful ;  give  half  a  grain  of  opium  five  times  in  the 
week  ;  and  good  generous  diet.  No  one  would  take  this  trouble, 
save  in  the  case  of  a  very  valuable  exhibition  bird. 

RICE. 

An  excellent  food  for  chickens.  It  must  never  be  given  raw, 
but  boiled  well  until  soft,  and  in  skimmed  milk  if  possible ;  if 
not,  dripping  or  fat  should  be  added,  or  coarse  sugar  for  a 
change,  and  then  dry  oatmeal  should  be  mixed  in  till  it  is  a 
crumbling  mass.  It  may  be  given  in  turn  with  oatmeal  and 
Spratt's  Food. 


124  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

ROOFS. 

The  best  material  is  corrugated  iron,  for  then  the  rain-water 
from  the  roof  can  be  collected  and  stored.  A  wooden  roof 
covered  with  tarred  felt  is  good  also,  but  not  so  lasting,  and  the 
water  which  runs  off  must  not  be  given  to  the  poultry  to  drink, 
neither  can  it  be  used  for  watering  flowers,  as  it  is  highly 
injurious.  Slate  or  tile  roofs  are  equally  good.  Thatch  should 
be  avoided  as  it  harbors  rats  and  mice,  and  unless  very  thick 
will  not  keep  the  wet  out,  especially  if  deep  snow  melts  on  it. 

ROOSTING. 

Chickens  should  not  be  allowed  to  roost  till  from  four  to  five 
months  old,  and  then  on  broad  perches,  two  to  three  feet  only 
from  the  ground.  Exhibition  birds  are  better  roosted  on  shelves 
covered  with  sand  and  littered  with  straw,  but  then  they  must 
be  kept  very  clean,  and  the  straw  must  be  frequently  changed. 
On  no  account  place  perches  one  above  the  other  so  that  the 
droppings  fall  on  birds  lodged  lower  down.  Cleanliness  is  the 
great  key  to  success,  and  the  roosting-places  should  be  scraped 
out  daily  and  re-sanded.  The  greater  the  number  of  fowls, 
the  greater  must  be  the  care. 

ROUEN  DUCKS. 

In  plumage  exactly  like  the  Mallard  or  "Wild  Duck.  For 
exhibition  the  drakes  must  have  the  breasts  rich  red-brown,  of 
darkish  hue,  the  drake's  bill  yellow  with  a  greenish  tinge,  not 
lead  nor  bright  yellow,  the  bill  to  come  straight  down  from  the 
head,  long,  broad;  the  legs,  rich  orange,  and  the  head  rich 
glossy  green,  and  round  the  throat  is  a  ring  of  pure  white,  but 
this  must  not  go  right  round ;  the  back  is  greenish  black ;  tail, 
darker;  wings,  grey  and  brown,  and  a  bar  across  of  brilliant 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS  125 

blue,  edged  with  black-and-white,  clean  cut;  the  flights  are 
grey  and  brown  ;  the  fluff  and  under  parts  must  be  toned  down 
to  light  grey,  no  white  must  be  seen.  The  duck's  bill,  orange 
color,  must  be  nearly  covered,  but  not  to  the  tip,  with  an  irreg- 
ular splash  of  dark  color,  blackish ;  the  ground  color  dark, 
chocolate  brown,  with  pencilling  of  still  darker  tint. 

Birds  for  breeding  are  good  weight  at  seven  pounds.  In  the 
show  pen  they  have  exceeded  twenty-four  pounds,  and  were 
once  shown  over  thirty-two  pounds,  but  such  fattening  destroys 
breeding  power,  and  the  birds  are  useless.  The  eggs  are  not  so 
large  as  the  Aylesbury ;  they  are  both  colors,  green  and  white, 
and  very  plentiful ;  the  flesh  is  as  good  as  the  Aylesbury,  and 
they  fatten  equally  well. 

ROUP. 

This  dreadful  disease  beging  with  a  slight  cold,  followed  by 
inflammatory  symptoms.  It  affects  the  cavity  of  the  nose. 
The  discharge  commences  by  being  watery  and  clear,  after- 
wards becoming  thick  and  offensive ;  the  face,  eyes,  and  throat 
swell ;  lastly,  fever,  thirst,  and  loss  of  appetite,  come  on. 

No.  1.  At  once  isolate  the  bird  when  as  yet  nothing  but  a 
slight  cold  has  appeared.  Wash  the  head  with  warm  milk ; 
feed  with  soft  food.  Powder  the  roosting  places  with  quick- 
lime just  before  they  go  to  bed,  and  give  daily  one  grain  sul- 
phate of  copper  in  oatmeal ;  give  warm  ale  and  plenty  of  green 
food. 

No.  2.  Foment  the  swelled  parts,  squeeze  out  the  matter ; 
give  teaspoonful  castor-oil,  and  feed  on  oatmeal  with  pepper ; 
plenty  of  green  food. 

No,  3.  Drop  solution  of  atropine  into  the  eyes  when  run- 
ning. Give  a  pinch  of  Epsom  salts  daily,  soft  food,  and  a  cap- 
sule of  cod-liver  oil  with  quinine.     Squeeze  the  inflamed  glands, 


126  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

and  dress  with  one  part  Wright's  Liquor  Carbonis  to  fifteen 
parts  water. 

No.  4.  Keep  warm  and  dry ;  give  meat-scraps  daily ;  apply 
alum  and  cayenne,  a  little  in  mouth  and  nostrils,  as  snuff,  to 
cause  sneezing  and  clear  away  mucus ;  bathe  the  nostrils  with 
Condy  or  carbonate  of  soda,  and  give  daily  a  pill  of  meal  with 
two  grains  myrrh,  five  grains  carbonate  iron,  two  grains 
cayenne. 

Should  any  bird  get  a  severe  roupy  cold,  it  is  advisable,  unless 
a  very  valuable  bird,  to  kill  it  at  once,  and  so  stop  the  spread  of 
an  infectious  and  troublesome  illness,  which  may  clear  out  your 
stock. 

RUNS. 

For  prefection  poultry  should  have  grass,  earth,  and  gravel 
on  their  runs.  The  covered  run  should  be  on  the  original  soil, 
but  well  and  deeply  covered  two  spades  deep  in  a  mixture  of 
gravel,  sand,  old  mortar,  and  road  drift,  all  screened.  In  this 
the  fowls  will  delight  to  dust,  and  vermin  will  not  irritate  them 
or  their  owner.  Grass  range  is  of  the  utmost  value,  and  should 
be  let  out  as  soon  as  the  dew  is  a  little  cleared  off.  Earth  and 
manure  heaps  are  invaluable  for  scratching  in,  and  to  supply 
animal  food  in  the  way  of  worms,  etc.  But  the  birds  will  not 
thrive,  however  extensive  the  grass  range,  if  they  are  not  pro- 
vided with  a  light,  open  run,  roofed  in,  and  free  from  drip  and 
damp,  wherein  they  can  freely  dust  themselves  and  keep  in  shelter 
during  rain.  Birds  will  not  often  shelter,  however  wet  the 
weather,  if  they  have  to  do  so  in  a  dark,  damp,  and  dirty,  air- 
less house.  If  they  do,  it  is  to  mope  about  in  idle  discomfort, 
which  brings  on  evil  habits  and  illness  of  all  kinds. 

Yard  Bun.    If  a  bricked  or  paved  yard  is  the  only  place 
available  in  which  to  give  the  poultry  <*  run,  great  results  must 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  127 

not  be  expected,  but  eggs  and  healthy  birds  may  be  secured 
with  attention  to  the  necessaries  of  poultry  health.  A  load  or 
two  of  screened  rubble,  gravel,  etc.,  must  be  at  hand  under 
shelter  for  the  fowls  to  dust  and  bathe  in.  Access  to  a  manure 
and  garden  refuse  heap  is  highly  advantageous,  giving  occupa- 
tion in  way  of  scratching  and  hunting  for  the  animal  food  which 
it  engenders,  such  as  worms  and  insects  of  all  kinds.  Green 
food  must  be  thrown  to  the  birds  daily,  and  the  manure  must  be 
as  regularly  cleaned  of.  In  the  absence  of  these  precautions, 
fowls  can  scarcely  be  kept  in  health  in  a  paved  yard. 

Ea/rth  Runs.  If  the  space  is  only  moderate,  earth  runs  are 
superior  to  any.  A  small  grass  run  soon  gets  used  up  and  be- 
comes foul.  Beyond  sweeping  it  nothing  can  be  done,  and  the 
grass  soon  loses  its  freshness,  whereas  an  earth  run  can  be  raked 
and  swept  daily,  and  dug  over  three  times  a  week.  Twice  a 
year  it  should  be  double-dug — that  is,  the  soil  should  be  taken 
out,  two  feet  deep,  in  a  trench  at  one  end,  and  carried  to  the 
opposite  end.  The  trench  should  then  be  filled  up  as  the  dig- 
ging proceeds.  Thus  fresh  soil  is  brought  to  the  top,  and 
thorough  cleansing  is  secured. 

Covered  Buns.  An  absolute  necessity  for  perfect  health  and 
exhibition  condition.  Each  should  have  a  large  trap-door  to  the 
free  range,  and  a  well-made  roof,  impervious  to  rain  and  drip, 
and  the  dusting  material  should  here  lie  deep,  fine,  and  clean. 

i 

SAND. 

Useful  to  mix  with  all  dusting  materials ;  it  should  be  kept 
dust-dry  to  mix  with  earth  and  to  form  bedding  for  the  arti- 
ficial mothers. 

SELF  HELP  IN  BUILDING. 

When  building  poultry-houses,  on  which  most  people  grudge 


128  POULTKT  BECEIPTS. 

any  large  expenditure,  one  can  often  dispense  With  the  aid  of  a 
carpenter  or  builder.  Carefully  plan  and  measure  your  intended 
buildings,  and  get  the  wood  sawn  to  proper  lengths  at  some 
dealer's  or  sawmills — any  handy  man  with  some  little  help 
should  then  be  able,  if  interested  in  his  work,  to  put  the  houses 
up.  Care  should  be  taken  to  let  the  boards  overlap,  and  to  char 
or  tar  all  posts  let  into  the  ground. 

SOUR  MILK. 

Sour  milk  is  an  excellent  drink  for  young  chicks.  Let  them 
have  it  to  run  to.  It  is  also  good  for  laying  hens.  The  great 
trouble  is  that  many  poultry  raisers  can  not  get  enough  of  it. 

SAWDUST. 

A  bad  packing  medium  for  eggs,  the  jar  of  the  railway 
journey  shakes  it  away  from  the  eggs  be  they  packed  ever  so 
firmly.  Good  for  pigeon  lofts  if  used  deep  and  in  quantity,  but 
not  for  poultry. 

SELECTING  EXHIBITION  BIRDS. 

A  very  large  number  of  birds  must  be  hatched  from  which  to 
make  a  selection.  Any  with  glaring  disqualifications  must  be 
drafted  out  early  in  the  season.  A  little  later  another  lot  must 
be  cleared  out  of  those  with  faults,  but  not  sufficient  to  dis- 
qualify, leaving,  say,  twenty  birds  out  of  two  hundred  hatched. 
To  these  give  every  possible  advantage  in  the  way  of  space  and 
food.  Some  will  answer  expectations,  and  some  will  fail. 
Amateurs  are  often  too  sanguine,  and  imagine  all  are  going  to 
be  prize-winners,  whereas  it- takes  no  little  care  and  experience 
to  attain  to  the  much-coveted  honor.  Birds  have  a  different 
look  when  penned  up  and  when  free  in  the  fields.    Choice 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  1S9 

should  be  made  when  the  birds  are  in  their  pens  or  runs,  and 
great  care  must  be  used  to  match  the  pullets  with  the  cocks,  a 
well-matched  pair  being  considered  most  desirable  in  the  show- 
pen.  When  choice  is  once  made,  the  birds  should  not  be  sent 
about  to  small  shows,  but  should  be  reserved  for  one  of  the 
more  important  exhibitions. 

SEPARATING  COCKERELS  AND  PULLETS. 

This  must  be  done  at  three,  four,  or  five  months,  according 
to  the  breed,  some  being  far  more  precocious  than  others. 

SEX  OF  EGGS. 

That  this  can  be  foretold  is  an  old  woman's  tale  ;  it  is  certain, 
however,  that  the  first  batches  of  eggs  in  the  early  season  chiefly 
produce  cockerels,  and  that  five  or  six  pullets  mated  with  adults 
cocks  produce  pullets  in  greater  numbers  than  cockerels,  while 
from  a  vigorous  cockerel  mated  with  about  three  or  four  adult 
hens,  cocks  will  be  in  the  greatest  proportion.  There  is  no  way 
of  discovering  the  sex  of  an  egg  before  hatching. 

SHEDS 

Are  invaluable  as  shelter  from  rain  and  mid-day  sun.  If 
such  erections  exist  already  on  a  farm,  the  roosting  poultry 
houses  should  be  built  on  to  them ;  the  expense  of  covered  runs 
can  thus  be  avoided. 

SHELF  UNDER  PERCH. 

"When  birds  are  kept  for  laying  purposes,  this  is  highly  advis- 
able. The  collection  of  droppings  on  the  boards  placed  to  catch 
them  reduces  the  trouble  of  daily  cleaning,  as  with  an  iron 
scraper  it  is  the  work  of  five  minutes  to  scrape  off  the  drop- 


180  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

pings  of  fifty  or  a  hundred  fowls.  It  is  a  good  plan  also  for 
prize  birds,  as  far  as  cleanliness  goes,  to  have  a  board  under  the 
perch  to  catch  the  droppings,  but  this  shelf  must  be  carefully 
adjusted  as  to  its  height  from  the  perch  and  from  the  ground ; 
it  should  be  at  such  a  distance  from  the  perch  that  the  birds 
may  walk  under  the  latter  without  injury  to  the  sickle  feathers ; 
some  hens  squat  on  the  board,  instead  of  taking  to  the  perch, 
and  even  in  one  night  this  may  prove  fatal  to  show  plumage. 

SHELTER  HURDLES, 

Thatched  with  straw,  and  placed  on  four  posts  eighteen  inches 
from  the  ground,  afford  admirable  shelter  from  the  extreme 
glare  of  the  mid-day  sun,  and  also  places  which  they  can  retire 
to  in  winter  from  the  damp  ground,  and  preen  themselves  in 
the  short  hours  of  sunshine. 

SITTING  HENS,  THEIR  MANAGEMENT. 

During  January,  February,  and  March,  it  is  most  difficult  to 
get  broody  or  sitting  hens,  yet  this  is  the  best  and  only  time  to 
hatch  the  bulk  of  exhibition  stock,  as  well  as  the  pullets  which 
are  to  fill  the  egg-baskets  in  August,  September,  October,  and 
November,  when  eggs  are  highest  in  price.  For  good  sitters 
seek  out  in  preference  Brahmas  (especially  the  Light),  Cochins, 
Dorkings  crossed  with  Brahma,  and  Silkies.  Moderate-sized 
hens  have  an  advantage  in  not  being  so  heavy.  Hens  are  to  be 
preferred  to  pullets.  Eggs  are  most  fertile  in  March,  April,  and 
May.  In  January  and  February  they  are  the  most  valuable,  it 
being  necessary  to  hatch  for  early  shows.  Let  the  hen  sit,  if 
possible,  where  she  has  chosen  her  nest  (this  should  be  a  mova- 
ble one,  either  box  or  basket),  and  give  a  few  china  eggs  to  ex- 
perimentalize upon.  While  she  is  off  feeding,  clean  out  the 
nest,  place  in  it  moist  sifted  earth  to  a  fltepth  of  three  inches, 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  131 

and  on  this  make  the  nest  of  chopped  straw  (about  six  inches 
long).  Let  the  hen  return  to  her  nest  of  her  own  free  will ; 
then  in  an  hour  or  so,  when  she  is  firmly  settled,  gently  carry 
her,  covered  up  in  the  nest,  to  the  sitting  pen,  coop,  or  wher- 
ever you  mean  her  to  sit,  and  if  in  a  few  hours'  time  she  is  still 
quiet,  give  her  the  eggs  she  is  to  incubate  ;  after  this  do  not  dis- 
turb her,  even  for  feeding,  during  the  next  thirty-six  hours  at 
least.  The  nest  should  be  placed  in  a  pen  or  coop  by  itself, 
where  no  hens  or  chickens  can  enter ;  give  food  (barley),  and 
water,  and  a  barrow-load  of  dusting  material,  and  leave  the  hen 
alone  to  come  off  and  feed  when  she  likes.  This  is  the  best 
method ;  but  when  some  thirty  or  forty  hens  are  to  be  set  it  is 
difficult,  in  most  cases  impossible,  to  provide  separate  pens,  and 
it  will  be  found  that  if  many  hens  are  set  in  one  place,  to  come 
off  at  their  discretion  for  food,  great  confusion  and  fighting  will 
be  the  result.  Two  hens  will  get  into  one  nest,  leaving  others 
empty,  to  the  fatal  injury  of  the  eggs.  Where  a  sitting-house 
is  employed  it  is  well  to  have  the  nests  in  rows  round  the  walls, 
in  which  the  hens  should  be  shut  up,  each  in  her  box,  and  taken 
out  together  every  twenty-four  or  thirty-six  hours  to  feed,  after 
which  they  should  be  replaced  and  shut  in.  The  best  nest  for 
this  purpose  is  a  box  with  the  lid  on  hinges,  and  one  side  taken 
out ;  this  open  side  should  be  placed  over  the  earth  and  straw 
nest,  the  lid  should  be  perforated  with  holes  for  air,  as  also  the 
upper  side  of  box  to  give  free  ventilation ;  in  this  way  a  large 
number  of  sitters  can  be  housed  in  a  small  space.  If  the  sit- 
ting-house has  an  outer  pen  or  run  where  the  hens  are  fed,  so 
much  the  better,  as  it  will  then  not  disturb  the  sitters  so  much. 
Great  regularity  in  the  time  of  feeding  is  requisite,  and  extreme 
gentleness  and  quiet.  Fresh  water,  plenty  of  barley  and  wheat, 
green  food,  and  dusting  dry  material  are  necessary.  If  the  lat- 
ter be  mixed  with  sulphur  to  keep  the  sitters  free  from  vermin, 
so  much  the  better ;  it  will  ensure  quiet  sitting,  for  a  hen  tor- 


182  POULTRY   RECEIPTS. 

mented,  with  vermin  will  be  restless.  If  you  suspect  she  is  so 
worried,  put  about  half  a  pound  of  powdered  sulphur  all  over 
the  nest  before  you  put  the  eggs  in ;  no  vermin  will  stand  it, 
and  the  effect  is  marvellous.  If  hens  have  to  be  procured  from 
strange  yards,  the  removal  and  sitting  should  be  carried  out  at 
night,  and  the  hen  should  keep  her  nest  twenty-four  hours  be- 
fore the  eggs  are  given  ;  with  these  precautions  it  is  quite  possi- 
ble to  get  good  sitters  from  a  long  distance,  even  five  and  six 
hours'  journey  by  railway.  The  number  of  eggs  to  be  put  under 
a  hen  varies  according  to  the  size  of  the  hen  and  of  the  eggs, 
also  according  to  the  season ;  during  January  and  February  not 
more  than  eight  or  nine  should  go  under  a  large  hen,  and  after 
that  from  thirteen  to  fifteen.  While  the  hens  are  feeding  it  is 
well  to  pour  hot  water  round  the  nests  after  the  first  week,  to 
cause  a  moist  heat  when  the  hen  returns  to  her  labor  of  love. 
After  the  fifth  day  the  eggs  can  be  examined  with  an  egg  tester, 
and  unfertile  eggs  replaced,  these  must  be  extra  new  laid,  so  as 
to  hatch  out  within  two  days  of  the  others ;  three  or  four  days 
before  hatching  is  due  eggs  may  be  floated  in  a  bucket  of  water 
at  105°  Fahr.  All  eggs  which  do  not  bob  about  or  rock  to  and 
fro  with  a  pulsating  motion  may  be  discarded.  Eggs  will  some- 
times remain  in  the  water  three  or  four  minutes  before  the 
movement  is  noticed,  or  they  may  move  or  pipe  at  once ;  they 
often  chip  in  the  water,  and  must  instantly  be  lifted  out.  In 
this  way  more  room  is  given  to  the  hatching  chicks,  and  the 
risks  of  a  broken  addled  egg  or  crushed  chick  in  the  nest  from 
over-crowding  are  avoided.  If  the  weather  is  frosty  a  handful 
of  hay  put  over  eggs  when  the  hen  feeds  is  useful  to  keep  in  the 
heat,  and  the  hen  may  remain  off  safely  for  fifteen  minutes.  In 
very  dry  weather,  besides  pouriug  water  round  the  nest,  a  little 
may  be  sprinkled  on  the  eggs,  but  the  hen  must  be  at  once  re- 
placed, or  mischief  will  arise  from  a  chill.  If  a  hen  forsakes 
her  nest,  and  eggs  are  found  cold,  place  them  at  once  in  water 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS  133 

at  105°  Fahr.,  and  leave  them  in  till  you  provide,  as  quickly  as 
may  be,  another  nest  and  a  hen  willing  to  become  a  foster- 
mother.  Eggs  neglected  and  chilled  should  never  be  despaired 
of;  it  is  a  fact  that  eggs  left  over  twelve  hours,  and  stone  cold 
to  the  touch,  when  treated  as  advised,  have  hatched  eleven  out 
of  thirteen,  and  all  the  chicks  strong  and  healthy.  As  the 
chicks  hatch  out  it  is  well  to  place  them  in  a  drying  box  till  all 
are  out,  by  which  all  risk  of  the  hens  squeezing  them  will  be 
avoided.  The  same  person  should  always  attend  to  the  "  sit- 
ters," and  extreme  regularity,  gentleness  and  regularity  in 
management,  has  much  to  do  with  success  in  hatching. 

SLIPPED  WING. 

This  chiefly  occurs  with  fast-growing  cockerels  and  ducklings. 
The  primary  feathers,  which  are  naturally  tucked  up  out  of 
sight,  stick  or  trail  out ;  the  bird  has  no  power  to  tuck  them  up. 
Should  the  same  feathers  stick  out  and  appear  twisted,  so  that 
the  inside  of  the  quill  is  outside,  it  is  probably  an  hereditary 
evil.  In  the  first  instance  it  frequently  occurs  from  a  number 
of  cocks  being  kept  together,  giving  rise  to  some  ill  treatment, 
constant  racing  about,  and  nervous  flapping  of  the  wings ;  these 
being  soft  and  delicate  as  yet,  the  birds  fail  to  fold  them  in 
closely,  and  a  habit  is  acquired  of  letting  them  hang  down  out 
of  place.  Tucking  them  up  into  place  when  the  bird  is  asleep 
at  night  is  sometimes  effectual ;  but  the  best  way  is  to  sew  a 
band  round  the  wing-feathers  near  the  shoulder,  and  attach  this 
to  another  which  is  passed  round  the  joint  of  the  wing  to  pre- 
vent it  slipping  off.     It  is  a  work  of  patience  and  difficulty. 

SNOW. 

Poultry  will  eat  quantities  of  snow.     They  should  be  shut  up 
if  seen  pecking  it,  and  melted  snow-water  is  not  good  for  their 


184  .    FOULTBT  RECEIPTS. 

drink.  When  shut  up  at  these  times,  a  few  bandfuls  of  hay- 
seeds, the  sweeping  of  the  hay-lofts,  afford  excellent  amuse- 
ment for  them. 

SPRING    CHICKENS. 

Hatch  them  in  November,  December,  and  January,  and  have 
them  ready  for  table  February,  March,  and  April. 

SQUIRREL  TAIL. 

When  the  tail  rises  up  very  upright  from  the  back,  and  in- 
clines to  bend  towards  it  instead  of  taking  a  graceful  sweep 
from  it. 

STAINS  ON  FEATHERS. 

To  remove  these  use  turpentine  or  benzoline,  but  the  best  plan 
is  care  and  cleanliness  to  prevent  accidents.  Cleaned-up  birds 
never  equal  well-kept  birds  on  a  grass  run. 

STRAIN,  TO  COMMENCE. 

The  best  plan  is  to  purchase  a  pen  of  the  breed  you  desire — 
say  a  cock  and  two  hens — from  some  well-known  breeder,  pay- 
ing a  good  price,  and  trusting  to  his  sending  birds  properly 
mated  for  the  purpose  you  require,  whether  for  showing,  or  for 
raising  thorough-bred  stock  from  which  to  select  future  exhibi- 
tion birds.  Having  done  this  about  October  or  January,  pro- 
cure in  March  a  sitting  of  the  very  best  eggs  of  the  same  breed 
from  the  next  best  breeder,  unless  the  first  can  be  depended  on 
to  send  you  some  not  related  to  the  birds  already  purchased 
from  his  runs.  Hatch  these,  or  as  many  sittings  of  these  as 
you  conveniently  can,  and  select  the  best  of  the  chicks  for  stock, 
mating  in  the  following  December  your  bought  cock  with  the 
best  hatched  pullets,  and  your  best  hatched  cockerel  with  your 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.    ^*  185 

bought  hens  and  two  pullets  to  make  up  the  pen.  Another 
plan  would  be  to  go  to  some  of  the  principal  shpws  and  buy 
birds  there  if  you  are  a  good  judge  of  the  breed.  This  may 
answer,  but  there  is  a  risk,  as  you  cannot  know  the  antecedents 
of  the  prize-birds,  and  may  be  introducing  fatal  faults  into 
your  strain  to  start  with. 

STRAW. 

Never  mind  the  untidy  appearance,  and  let  it  lie  about  in  dry 
covered  runs. 

SULKY   COCKS. 

Towards  autumn  cocks  sometimes  become  very  cross  to  their 
hens,  and  a  trial  to  the  whole  harem.  Isolate  them  at  once, 
they  require  rest  and  quiet ;  feed  well  and  house  warmly  till 
over  moult.  In  December  mate  the  pen  up  for  the  season,  and 
the  most  irritable  bird  will  have  become  good  temper  itself. 

SUNFLOWER 

Seeds  are  useful  to  give  gloss  to  the  feathers. 

TONICS. 

Quinine  and  iron  tonic  (citrate  of  quinine  and  iron)  :  four 
grains  to  an  adult  fowl  daily. 

Sulphuric  acid  ten  drops,  and  sulphate  of  iron  a  piece  the  size 
of  a  filbert,  in  a  quart  of  water  for  drinking. 

Tincture  of  iron,  one  teaspoonful  in  the  quart  of  water. 

Nitric  acid  acts  on  the  liver,  and  is  a  tonic.  Of  the  dilute 
acid  four  drops,  in  a  teaspoonfnl  of  water  three  times  a  day,  or 
ten  drops  of  strong  acid  in  a  quart  of  water  for  drinking. 


136  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

TESTING  EGGS. 

Eggs  should  be  tested  either  on  the  sixth  or  seventh  day,  this 
applies  to  both  those  used  in  incubators  and  under  hens.  The 
method  of  testing  is  to  grasp  the  egg  with  the  thumb  and  fore- 
finger of  the  left  hand,  hold  the  egg  up  between  the  light  and 
the  eye,  shading  the  light  from  the  eye  with  the  right  hand.  If 
the  egg  is  cloudy  looking  it  is  fertile,  if  perfectly  clear  unfertile. 
At  seven  days  a  fertile  egg  will  have  a  black  spot  in  the  centre, 
gradually  shading  off  to  the  edges  where  it  is  much  clearer, 
whilst  an  unfertile  egg  remains  clear  all  the  time. 

The  easiest  method  of  testing,  is  to  buy  an  egg  tester,  they 
are  sold  at  a  very  low  price  and  to  those  who  have  not  tried  test- 
ing before  are  more  certain. 

TRAVELING. 

Birds  travel  best  by  night,  If  a  long  journey,  feed  at  dusk 
— meat  and  corn — give  water,  and  start  them  off  as  soon  after 
as  train  will  suit,  giving  a  teaspoonful  of  port  wine  to  each  bird 
on  starting,  and  tie  into  basket  bread  and  lettuce. 

TREATMENT  AFTER  EXHIBITION. 

On  the  arrival  of  birds  from  an  exhibition,  feed  them  on  soft 
and  (if  cold  weather),  warm  food,  with  a  very  little  water,  con- 
taining a  tonic.  See  that  they  are  housed  very  warm.  If  they 
are  shortly  due  at  another  show,  give  bread-and-milk  for  one 
meal  daily,  and  rice-and-milk,  with  meat,  and,  if  possible,  a 
grass  run.  If  the  crop  is  loaded  with  Indian  corn,  feed  very 
sparingly  even  on  soft  food  at  first ;  and  if  it  feels  hard,  give  a 
teaspoonful  of  gin  on  arrival ;  it  will  aid  digestion. 

TRUSSING. 

There  is  great  art  in  trussing,  and  amateurs  often  fail  to  sell 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  137 

at  profitable  prices  owing  to  the  slovenly  way  in  which  their 
birds  are  prepared  for  market.  When  killed,  fowls  should  be 
plucked  at  once,  and  placed  on  one  of  the  boards  for  shaping 
dead  poultry  for  table  used  in  France.  It  may  improve  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  lean,  ill-fed  chicken  to  break  the  breast  bone  and 
hide  it  away,  but  there  it  still  is,  destroying  the  breast  slices 
and  a  constant  trial  to  those  wbo  have  to  carve  the  bird  at  table. 
If  properly  fed  and  plucked,  and  pressed  on  the  trussing  board, 
this  operation  is  quite  uunecessary. 

UNFERTILE  EGG. 

Clear  eggs,  which,  after  three  or  four  days'  incubation  show 
no  appearance  of  fertility,  no  veins,  or  sign  of  embryo.  The 
yolk  will  be  seen  to  float  and  ocillate  with  every  movement  of 
the  hand.  Such  eggs  must  be  turned  out  of  the  nest  or  incu- 
bator at  the  sixth  day,  and  are  perfectly  good  for  the  most  deli- 
cate cooking  purposes. 

VENTILATION. 

A  neglected  but  most  important  subject.  Poultry-houses  are, 
as  a  rule,  either  draughty,  or  they  are  unventilated  ;  if  the  first, 
the  birds  are  always  uncomfortable,  and  a  late  egg  supply,  owing 
to  cold  housing,  will  be  the  result ;  if  the  latter,  serious  disease 
will  follow,  such  as  diptheria,  or  the  birds  will  be  dull,  without 
appetite,  the  wings  will  droop,  upright  combs  will  go  blue  at 
the  tips,  and  fall  over  limp  and  flabby.  Besides  the  door  en- 
trance, every  roosting-house  should  have  a  window,  which  can 
be  left  open  on  hot  nights,  a  wire  of  small  mesh  should  be 
placed  over  it  to  keep  out  enemies  ;  in  the  winter  a  piece  of  per- 
forated zinc  is  preferable,  as  it  prevents  the  wind  rushing  in, 
and  yet  gives  enough  air.  If  a  window  is  not  practicable,  a 
hole  under  the  eaves  will  answer,  covered  with  zinc  wire ;  the 


138  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

higher  up  ventilating  openings  are  made  the  better.  Foul  ah 
rises,  and  openings  must  be  made,  or  the  fowls  will  suffer. 
Ventilating  holes  should  be  drilled  in  all  artificial  mothers, 
dryers,  and  shelters;  foul  air  generates  very  quickly  where 
ehickens  congregate. 

VERTIGO. 

An  ailment  which  betokens  over-feeding  to  an  enormous  ex- 
tent, and  a  threatening  of  apoplexy ;  a  bird  so  afflicted  will 
stagger  about  in  a  circle  as  if  giddy.  Dash  cold  water  on  the 
head  at  once,  and  give  castor-oil,  jalap  fifteen  grains,  and  two 
grains  of  calomel.  Feed  very  little,  reduce  the  system ;  the 
bird  is  sure  to  be  a  very  fat  one. 

WANT  OF  CONDITION. 

A  bird  shown  badly — i.  e.,  dirty,  wanting  in  gloss,  with  ruf- 
fled plumage — would  be  passed  over,  unless  his  points  were 
quite  super-excellent,  and  over-showing  will  destroy  the  good 
looks  of  the  finest  specimens.     - 

WARMTH. 

Comfortable  housing  is  all  the  warmth  required  by  adult 
birds.  Artificial  heat  is  dangerous,  as  it  is  difficult  to  control. 
Heated  houses  are  a  fertile  source  of  consumption  and  many 
other  evils.  A  cock  and  a  few  hens  might,  however,  be  forced 
for  the  supply  of  early  eggs,  which  certainly  come  the  sooner 
for  extra  warmth.  In  artificial  mothers  the  heat  should  not  be 
kept  above  70°  when  all  the  chicks  are  collected  under  them 


WASHING  EXHIBITION  BIRDS. 

Get  two  tubs,  fill  the  smaller  one  with  a  good  lather  of  soap 


POULTRY  RECEIPTS.  139 

water  (for  one  bird  half  a  pound  of  white  soap  is  sufficient) ; 
stand  the  bird  in  the  lather  and  wash  it.  using  a  softish  hair- 
brush, and  with  it  your  hand  ;  thoroughly  brush  and  cleanse 
the  feathers  everywhere,  leaving  no  spot  untouched,  and  do  not 
be  afraid  of  wetting  thoroughly,  use  no  half  measures ;  take 
care  not  to  bend  or  brush  the  feathers  the  wrong  way.     This 
done,  having  prepared  warm  water  in  the  larger  and  deeper  tub, 
dip  the  bird  in  and  out  freely  and  thoroughly,  rinse  every  vestige 
-  of  soap  lather  out ;  lastly,  take  a  can  of  merely  chilled  water 
(may  be  very  slightly  tinted  with  blue  for  white  birds),  and 
pour  this  over  the  bird,  drain  and  dry  as  far  as  you  can  in  a 
Turkish  towel,  place  the  bird  in  an  exhibition  basket,  from 
which  the  lining  has  been  half  removed,  and  set  it  at  a  com- 
fortable distance  from  the  fire.     The  basket  should  have  half  or 
three  parts  of  the  lining  left  round  it  to  keep  off  draughts.     As 
the  birds  dries  and  fluffs  out,  gradually  draw  away  from  the 
fire ;  leave  the  birds  the  night  in  a  warm  kitchen,  and  next 
morning  place  them  in  their  own  preparing  pen,  which,  mean- 
time, has  been  laid  deep  in  fresh  straw  ;  let  them  rest  here  for 
twenty-four  hours,  or  twelve,  at  any  rate,  before  the  journey, 
otherwise  a  risk  of  cold  is  incurred.     After  the  bath,  when  still 
wet,  give  a  teaspoonful  of  port  wine,  and  later  a  meal  of  bread 
and  meat  scraps,  which  are  gratefully  devoured  as  a  rule ;  by- 
and-by  a  handful  of  groats  as  a  treat  cast  in  the  straw  will 
tempt  them  to  scratch  for  it.     A  moist,  warm  atmosphere  must 
be  kept  up  in  the  drying  basket,  or  the  feathers  will  not  web 
properly ;  place  water  withir  reach,  and  add  to  it  a  little  tonic. 
If  the  birds  are  not  drying  properly,  try  and  turn  them  about 
so  that  the  heat  will  strike  all  sides  equally.     Hard-feathered 
birds,  such  as  Andalusians,  Minorcas,  Brown  Leghorns,  Malays, 
Dominiques,  Game,  Black  Spanish,  do  not  require  so  much 
washing.     White  birds  and  Asiatics  demand  the  greater  care. 


140  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

WASTERS. 

By  this  is  meant  those  birds  which,  although  pure  bred,  and 
hatched  from  prize  stock  for  exhibition  purposes,  fail  in  some 
important  point.  They  should  at  once  be  banished  to  the  fat- 
tening-pen,  or  be  killed  for  chicken-pies. 

WEAKNESS  AFTER  SITTING. 

When  it  exists  shows  neglect  and  want  of  food  ;  the  hen  lies 
about,  pecks  at  grit  and  green  stuff,  but  rejects  food.  Slip  a 
raw  egg  down  the  throat,  give  half  a  teaspoonful  of  quinine 
wine  and  oatmeal  food  warm.  If  she  will  not  pick  it  up,  make 
a  bolus  of  it,  dip  it  in  milk,  and  cram  her  daily. 

WHEEZING  AND   COUGH. 

When  the  birds  are  not  otherwise  ill,  do  not  be  anxious,  but 
put  a  teaspoonful  of  glycerine  and  a  few  drops  of  nitric  acid  in 
the  water. 

WIRE  SUPPORTS  TO  COMB. 

When  a  cock's  comb  is  given  to  lopping,  or  hangs  over,  un- 
principled exhibitors  have  been  found  to  stick  needles  or  wires 
through  the  flesh  to  keep  it  up.  Such  wicked  cruelty  would  of 
course  disqualify.  A  wire  support  can  be  made  to  be  worn  out- 
side the  comb,  and  this  is  quite  allowable  with  a  view  to  making 
it  grow  straight ;  it  may  be  of  some  help,  though  a  really  good 
breeding  or  exhibition  bird  should  be  quite  independent  of  such 
artificial  aids. 

WORM  EATEN  FEATHERS. 

Hamburghs  are  subject  to  this  disgusting  disease,  if  badly 
kept,  but  it  comes  only  from  unpardonable  neglect,  damp,  dirt, 


CAPONIZING.  141 

and  deficient  arrangements  for  dusting.  Treat  as  for  "Lioe," 
saturate  the  quills  with  oil,  cleanse  the  birds  and  their  home  iq 
every  possible  manner,  if  not  too  far  gone  for  recovery. 


CAPONIZING. 


The  custom  of  caponizing  is  practiced  quite  extensively  In 
Europe,  but  is  poorly  understood  in  America.  We  see  no  rea- 
son why  it  can  not  be  made  very  profitable  to  those  who  will 
only  take  the  trouble  to  learn  the  modus  operandi  and  prac- 
tice it. 

When  it  is  made  plain  that  a  cockerel  at  the  age  of  four 
months,  by  caponizing,  can  be  made  to  increase  in  size  and 
weight,  at  ten  or  twelve  months,  nearly  twice  what  he  would  be, 
it  is  a  surprise  that  more  market  poulterers  do  not  practice  this 
art,  in  a  country  as  progressive  in  most  things  as  this  one  is. 
But  it  seems  that  the  people  generally,  in  America,  treat  with 
indifference  anything  pertaining  to  poultry,  save  in  a  small 
number  of  fanciers,  scattered  here  and  there,  who  are  striving 
to  beat  it  into  the  heads  of  farmers  and  stock-growers,  that 
there  is  something  else  besides  laboring  in  the  hardest  manner 
from  sun  to  sun  to  earn  a  dollar,  or  that  there  is  other  stock  of 
importance  than  cattle  and  hogs. 

The  mode  of  proceeding  to  be  successful,  is  to  take  the  younf 
cockerels  when  they  are  three  or  four  months  old,  keep  them 
from  feed  the  morning  you  intend  performing  the  operation  bo 


143  POULTRY  RECEIPTS. 

that  the  bowls  are  empty,  for,  if  they  are  fed,  and  full,  you  will 
almost  be  sure  to  cut  the  intestines  while  making  the  inoision 
and  cause  death 

"The  instrument  employed  in  the  operation  should  be  very 
sharp;  a  surgeon's  small  operating-knife,  termed  a  curved" 
pointed  bistoury,  is  far  better  than  an  ordinary  knife,  as  it 
makes  a  much  neater  wound,  and  so  increases  greatly  the 
chances  of  healing ;  or  a  curVed-pointed  penknife  may  be  used. 
A  stout  needle  and  waxed  thread  are  also  requisite ;  a  small 
curved  surgical  needle  will  be  found  much  more  convenient  in 
use  than  a  common  straight  one. 

"It  is  necessary  that  there  should  be  two  persons  to  perform 
the  operation.     The  assistant  places  the  bird  on  its  right  side  on 
the  knees  of  the  person  who  is  about  to  operate,  and  who  is 
seated  in  a  chair  of  such  a  height  as  to  make  his  thighs  hori. 
zontal.     The  back  of  the  bird  is  turned  towards  the  operator, 
and  the  right  leg  and  thigh  held  firmly  along  the  body,  the  left 
being  drawn  back  towards  the  tail,  thus  exposing  the  left  flank, 
where  the  incision  has  to  be  made.     After  removing  the  feathers 
the  skin  is  raised  up,  just  behind  the  last  rib,  with  the  point  of 
the  needle,  so  as  to  avoid  wounding  the  intestines,  and  an  in- 
cision along  the  edge  of  the  last  rib  is  made  into  the  cavity  of 
the  body  sufficiently  large  to  admit  of  the  introduction  of  the 
finger.     If  any  portion  of  the  bowels  escape  from  the  wound  it 
must  be  carefully  returned.     The  forefinger  is  then  introduced 
into  the  cavity,  and  directed  behind  the  intestines  towards  the 
back,  somewhat  to  the  left  side  of  the  middle  line  of  the  body. 
• '  If  the  proper  position  is  gained  (which  is  somewhat  difficult 
to  an  inexperienced  operator,  especially  if  the  cock  is  of  full 
size),  the  finger  comes  into  contact  with  the  left  testicle,  which 
in  a  young  bird  of  four  months  is  rather  larger  than  a  full- 
sized  horse-bean.     It  is  movable,  and  apt  to  slip  under  the 


CAPOOTMNS.  148 

finger,  although  adhering  to  the  spine ;  when  felt  it  is  to  be 
gently  pulled  away  from  its  attachments  with  the  finger  and  re- 
moved through  the  wound — an  operation  which  requires  con- 
siderable practice  and  facility  to  perform  properly,  as  the 
testicle  sometimes  slips  from  under  the  finger  before  it  is  got 
out,  and,  gliding  amongst  the  intestines,  cannot  be  found  again 
readily;  it  may,  however,  remain  in  the  body  of  the  animal 
without  much  inconvenience,  although  it  is  better  removed,  as 
its  presence  is  apt  to  excite  inflammation. 

"After  removing  the  left  testicle,  the  finger  is  again  intro- 
duced, and  the  right  one  sought  for  and  removed  in  a  similar 
manner.  It  is  readily  discovered,  as  its  situation  is  alongside 
of  the  former,  a  little  to  the  right  side  of  the  body.  After- 
wards the  lips  of  the  wound  are  brought  together  and  kept  in 
contact  with  two  or  three  stitches  with  the  waxed  thread.  No 
attempt  should  be  made  to  sew  up  the  wound  with  a  continuous 
seam,  but  each  stitch  should  be  perfectly  separate,  and  tied  dis- 
tinctly from  the  others. 

"In  making  the  stitches  great  care  should  be  taken ;  the  skin 
should  be  raised  up  so  as  to  avoid  wounding  the  intestines  with 
the  needle,  or  including  even  the  slightest  portion  of  them  in  the 
thread — an  accident  that  would  almost  inevitable  be  followed 
by  the  death  of  the  animal. 

"After  the  operation  the  bird  had  better  be  placed  under  a 
coop  in  a  quiet  situation,  and  supplied  with  drink  and  soft  food, 
such  as  sopped  bread.  After  a  few  hours  it  is  best  to  give  him 
his  liberty,  if  he  can  be  turned  out  in  some  quiet  place  removed 
from  the  poultry-yard,  as,  if  attacked  by  the  other  cocks,  the 
healing  of  the  wound  would  be  endangered . 

"After  the  operation  the  bird  should  not  be  permitted  to  roost" 
on  a  perch,  as  the  exertion  of  leaping  up  would  unquestionably 
injure  the  wound ;  it  should,  therefore,  at  night  be  turned  into 


144  IKCtTBfTOiW. 

a  room  where  it  is  obliged  to  rest  on  the  floor  previously  covered 
with  some  clean  straw.  For  three  or  four  days  after  the  op- 
eration the  bird  should  be  fed  on  soft  food ;  after  that  time  it 
may  be  set  at  liberty,  for  a  short  period,  until  it  has  recovered 
entirely  from  the  operation,  when  it  should  be  put  up  to  fatten.' ' 


ARTIFICIAL  INCUBATORS. 


The  great  question  of  the  day,  with  people  about  going  into 
the  poultry  business  is  about  Incubators.  "Are  they  a  suc- 
cess ?  "  *  *  Which  is  the  best  one  ?  "  "  How  do  you  work  them, 
etc.?"  You  will  find  the  poultry  papers  full  of  these  "ques- 
tions," and  the  "answers"  are  sometimes  quite  amusing.  One 
distinguished  "  poultry  fancier  "  has  never  tried  them  ;  anotherr 
(not  quite  so  distinguished)  has  failed  to  hatch  more  thac 
twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the  perfect  eggs  put  in,  and  still  an' 
other,  a  fortunate  man  truly,  hatched  ninety-eight  per  cent,  of 
eggs  perfect  and  imperfect.  Truly  the  days  of  sitting  hens  are 
numbered. 

But  for  all  these  facts  in  favor  of  or  against  the  Incubator,  it 
is  a  settled  thing  that  artificial  incubation,  attended  to  by  a  pro- 
per person,  will  and  does  pay.  Inventors  have  been  taxing  their 
brains  for  many  years  to  produce  good  machines,  and  after 
many  failures,  this  year  of  1884,  finds  at  least  a  half  a  dozen 
good  ones  in  the  field  competing  for  popular  favor. 

The  bad  ones  are  legion,  and  as  Halstead  remarks  in  his  work 


INCUBATORS.  145 

on  "Artificial  Incubation,"  that  many  of  the  so-called  Incubators, 
are  not  much  better  than  a  tin  pan  with  a  lamp  under  one  end 
and  a  tray  of  eggs  under  the  other.  Some  of  them  being  per- 
fectly worthless  for  the  purpose,  and  only  a  fraudulent  means  of 
obtaining  money  from  a  class  of  people  who  always  make 
"cheapness  their  one  criterion  of  value." 

The  best  way  we  know  of  to  select  an  Incubator,  is  to  note 
their  advertisements  in  the  poultry  papers,  write  to  the  manu- 
facturers and  obtain  their  circulars  and  testimonials.  If  they 
have  taken  premiums  at  any  of  the  State  fairs  within  the  past 
year  so  much  the  better,  they  are  worthier  of  consideration. 
Examine  testimonials,  and  if  you  see  the  names  of  noted  fan- 
ciers appended  to  them,  men  who  are  known  throughout  the 
land,  by  their  successful  yards  or  by  their  articles  in  the  dif- 
ferent poultry  papers  and  magazines,  you  are  safe  in  trusting 
the  Incubator  manufacturer.  It  is  only  the  testimonials  con- 
taining unknown  names  and  out-of-the-way  piaces  that  are  to 
be  distrusted.  I  shall  give  in  the  following  pages,  engravings 
of  some  of  the  noted  Incubators  with  the  modes  of  working 
them,  I  do  not  do  this  to  advertise  them,  but  merely  to  present 
to  the  eye  of  the  " uninitiated,"  the  "machine"  in  all  its  glory; 
the  world  is  wide,  there  are  many  of  them,  you  can  take  your 
choice. 

(For  the  following  articles  on  Artificial  Incubation  we  are  in- 
debted to  Mr.  J.  L.  Campbell,  of  West  Elizabeth,  Pa.) 

ADVICE  TO  BEGINNERS. 

"I  am  often  asked  the  question,  do  you  think  I  can  make  a 
success  of  poultry  raising  with  an  Incubator  and  Brooder  ?  Now 
that  is  certainly  a  difficult  question  to  answer.  How  am  I  to 
judge  of  the  abilities  of  one  I  know  nothing  about?    Raising 


146  INCUBATORS. 

poultry  is  just  like  any  other  business,  one  will  succeed  where 
another  will  fail. 

"  I  will  answer  that  question  by  asking  several  more.  Did 
you  ever  raise  any  chickens?  Do  you  like  to  work  with  and 
care  for  them?  Are  you  willing  to  give  them  the  necessary 
amount  of  care  ?  Do  you  expect  the  business  to  run  itself,  or 
do  you  intend  to  run  it? 

"If  you  can  give  satisfactory  answers  to  all  of  these  questions, 
I  can  tell  what  you  can  do. 

"In  general  terms  I  will  say  to  all  who  desire  to  go  into  it  as 
a  business,  if  you  don't  know  anything  at  all  about  the  busi- 
ness, and  don't  intend  to  devote  the  necessary  time  to  it  to  learn 
it  thoroughly,  you  had  better  keep  out  of  it.  To  fanciers  and 
all  others  who  understand  the  raising  of  chickens,  I  would  say, 
if  you  only  want  to  raise  a  few  hundreds,  even  for  the  early 
market,  it  will  pay  you  well  to  get  an  incubator,  the  profits  of  a 
single  hatch  has  in  many  instances  paid  for  the  machine. 

"Those  makers  who  tell  you  that  no  care  is  required,  that  the 
business  will  take  care  of  itself,  that  all  you  have  to  do  is  just 
to  spend  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  each  day  attending  to  the  incu- 
bator, etc.,  all  they  want  is  to  sell  you  an  incubator,  after  that 
you  can  whistle  for  the  balance. 

"The  real  trouble  about  artificial  raising  is  that  so  many  have 
an  altogether  wrong  idea  about  the  care  of  the  chicks,  and  that 
all  that  is  necessary  is  to  hatch  them  out,  and  then  throw  them 
a  little  feed  occasionally.  Well,  a  greater  mistake  could  not  be 
well  made ;  any  one  who  goes  into  it  with  that  idea  can  either 
expect  to  change  the  idea  very  suddenly,  or  quit  the  business. 
Now,  the  facts  are  just  this  :  The  real  work  comes  in  when  the 
chicks  are  out  of  the  shell ;  then  is  when  the  most  care  is  re- 
quired. It  is  no  trouble  for  one  who  is  used  to  the  care  of 
chicks,  and  knows  just  what  they  need,  to  succeed ;  but  for  a 
novice  to  go  at  it  with  the  idea  that  they  can  do  it  is  as  well  as 


INCUBATORS.  147 

any  one,  is  all  a  mistake.  To  all  such,  I  would  say,  either  go 
in  with  the  idea  that  you  are  going  to  give  it  the  care  and  time 
to  learn  and  a  few  failures  will  not  discourage  you,  or  else  keep 
out  of  it  altogether.  There  is  money  and  plenty  of  it  in  the 
business,  either  for  market  poultry,  or  eggs,  or  both. 

Poultry  raising  is  a  business  that  is  especially  suitable  for 
women.  There  are  thousands  of  farmers'  wives  and  others, 
who,  if  they  would  try  the  artificial  raising  of  poultry,  could 
make  it  pay  handsomely.  These  women  all  know  more  or  less 
about  the  care  of  poultry,  and  could  make  it  a  success  from  the 
start.  "Women  generally  understand  the  raising  of  poultry  better 
than  most  men  ;  one  reason  is  that  they  attend  to  the  numerous 
small  details  which  are  necessary,  but  few  men  are  willing  to 
give  the  time  that  is  required." 

BEST  PLACE  TO  RUN   INCUBATORS. 

This  will  depend  somewhat  on  the  kind  of  an  Incubator  it  is, 
a  good  Incubator  can  be  run  with  success  in  almost  any  kind  of 
a  place,  but  of  course  it  would  always  be  best  to  have  the  con- 
ditions as  favorable  as  possible. 

The  very  best  place  that  could  be  selected  is  a  room  that 
would  have  a  temperature  the  year  round  that  would  not  go 
below  sixty  or  above  eighty  degrees. 

If  the  room  could  be  kept  so  that  it  would  not  fall  below 
sixty  and  not  use  fire,  it  would  be  the  best  to  never  have  any 
fire,  there  is  no  trouble  in  keeping  up  the  heat  in  the  incubator 
(if  it  is  a  good  one)  even  at  a  zero  temperature,  but  the  trouble 
is  that  if  you  have  it  in  too  cold  a  place  you  cannot  take  out  the 
trays  without  chilling  the  eggs. 

If  the  eggs  can  bo  turned  without  taking  them  out  of  the 
machine,  it  will  not  make  as  much  difference  as  it  would  with 
one  that  the  eggs  would  have  to  be  taken  out  frequently  in  order 


148  nrctrBATOas. 

to  turn  them,  but  even  then  it  would  be  necessary  to  take  out 
the  eggs  to  test  them  and  for  that  reason  the  room  should  not 
be  too  cold. 

Therefore  the  best  place  to  select  when  it  could  be  done,  is  a 
room  on  the  north  side  of  the  house  where  the  sun  would  not 
strike  it  too  hard  in  hot  weather,  it  is  more  difficult  to  make  a 
good  hatch  in  very  hot  weather  than  it  is  in  cold.  Then,  if  it  is 
desired  >to  hatch  in  cold  weather,  the  room  should  be  warmed 
up  to  at  least  sixty  degrees  when  it  is  desired  to  take  out  the 
eggs  either  to  turn  or  to  test  them. 

A  real  dry,  well  ventilated  cellar  is  a  good  place  to  hatch  in, 
either  in  winter  or  summer,  but  it  should  be  well  ventilated  and 
perfectly  dry,  else  it  will  not  give  good  results,  the  ventilation  is 
next  in  importance  to  the  heat,  no  matter  where  the  incubator 
is,  a  good  hatch  will  never  be  obtained  if  the  air  is  not  pure. 

The  very  best  temperature  that  a  room  could  be  kept  at  is 
seventy-five  degrees,  this  gives  enough  difference  between  the 
temperature  inside  the  machine  and  out  to  insure  good  ventila- 
tion, and  there  would  never  be  any  danger  of  chilling  the  eggs 
when  they  were  taken  out. 

The  hardest  time  to  make  a  good  hatch  is  when  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  hatching  room  runs  away  up  into  the  nineties,  the 
worst  trouble  about  it  is  that  the  eggs  and  the  outside  air  is  so 
near  even  in  temperature  that  there  is  very  little  ventilation. 

I  have  made  hatches  in  hot  weather  when  the  machine  would 
have  to  be  left  standing  open  all  day,  and  never  have  the  lamp 
lit  at  all  during  the  last  week,  the  eggs  keeping  up  all  the  boat 
that  was  needed,  I  tried  the  eggs  on  the  fifth  day  after  the  lamp 
was  out  just  to  see  how  high  they  could  run  up  the  heat  in  the 
incubator,  and  they  actually  raised  it  to  one  hundred  and  eight 
degrees,  of  course  there  was  a  large  number  of  eggs,  over  one 
thousand,   and  the  temperature  of  the  room  at  the  time  was 


INCUBATOBS.  149 

ninety-eight  degrees.  I  have  no  doubt  at  all  but  what  it  would 
have  went  still  higher,  but  I  was  not  willing  to  risk  it  any- 
longer  for  fear  of  killing  all  the  chicks,  of  course  it  could  not 
have  went  much  higher  as  just  as  soon  as  there  would  be  a  few 
degrees  difference  between  the  inside  and  outside  of  the  incu- 
bator the  air  would  begin  to  circulate  and  keep  down  the  heat, 
but  it  shows  what  a  large  amount  of  heat  is  in  one  thousand 
eggs  when  the  chicks  are  nearly  full  grown. 

This  is  one  reason  of  many  failures  that  have  occurred  with 
incubators,  enough  allowance  was  not  made  for  the  animal  heat 
that  was  in  the  embryo  chicks. 

A  good  incubator  or  rather  one  that  has  a  good  regulator  will 
be  able  to  take  care  of  itself  during  the  first  two  weeks,  even 
if  the  temperature  should  range  as  high  as  ninety-five  degrees 
in  the  shade,  but  during  the  last  week,  if  the  weather  should  go 
above  ninty  degrees  the  incubator  will  have  to  be  watched  dur- 
ing the  hot  part  of  the  day  no  matter  how  good  it  is,  for  it  may 
turn  off  the  heat  and  open  the  ventilators  and  still  the  heat  may 
go  too  high.  To  sum  up  then,  those  who  want  to  run  an  incu- 
bator and  not  give  it  only  the  least  possible  attention  must  get  a 
room  that  will  be  cool  in  summer  and  warm  in  winter. 

When  the  weather  is  at  all  cool  there  is  no  necessity  for  tak- 
ing out  the  eggs  to  air  them,  in  fact,  it  is  much  better  to  not  do 
it,  if  they  are  cooled  down  to  about  ninety-five  degrees  two  or 
three  times  during  the  hatch  it  will  answer  every  purpose,  I 
have  hatched  ninety-eight  per  cent,  of  the  fertile  eggs  and  not 
let  them  cool  off  once  during  the  whole  hatch. 

I  made  a  test  of  six  trays,  one  hundred  and  seventeen  eggs 
in  each  tray,  the  eggs  were  kept  at  one  hundred  and  two  to  one 
hundred  and  four  degrees  all  the  time,  that  is  the  regulator  was 
set  to  run  from  one  hundred  and  two  to  one  hundred  and  four 
degrees  and  back  again,  the  change  would  occur  about  once  an 
hour  on  the  average,  these  eggs  were  out  of  the  machine  once 


150  IHCUBATOB8. 

only  and  that  was  on  the  sixth  day  for  testing  them,  the  result 
was  that  I  had  from  one  hundred  and  four  to  one  hundred  and 
thirteen  chicks  out  of  each  tray,  the  weather  was  cool  and 
pleasant,  neither  warm  nor  cold. 

I  have  made  a  great  many  tests  with  the  same  end  in  view, 
i.  e.,  to  find  out  whether  it  is  necessary  to  air  the  eggs  or  not, 
and  I  find  that  in  cold  weather  it  is  best  to  not  air  them  at  all, 
in  cool,  pleasant  weather  it  is  not  necessary,  but  will  do  no 
harm  unless  they  get  too  much  of  it,  in  very  hot  weather  they 
should  be  aired  daily. 

If  they  are  not  aired  in  hot  weather  the  chicks  will  be  weakly, 
and  if  they  are  aired  frequently,  in  cold  weather  the  result  will 
be  just  the  same,  weak  chicks  from  too  much  chilling. 

Eggs  can  be  hatched  at  a  temperature  that  will  vary  from 
ninety-nine  to  one  hundred  and  ten  degrees,  that  is  they  can  be 
hatched  in  large  numbers,  I  have  tried  some  at  one  hundred  and 
twenty  degree  for  a  short  time  and  still  hatched  some  of  them, 
but  all  such  chicks  are  worthless  they  will  neither  live,  or,  if  a 
few  of  them  does  live  they  will  not  grow  or  do  any  good. 

But  if  they  are  hatched  at  an  even  and  proper  temperature 
and  all  the  other  conditions  to  successful  incubation  are  com- 
plied with,  the  chicks  will  be  much  stronger  and  more  healthy, 
and  will  outgrow  those  that  are  hatched  by  the  average  hen. 

Those  that  are  hatched  at  too  low  a  temperature  will  be 
weakly,  if  hatched  at  too  high  a  temperature  they  will  be 
weaker  still,  overheating  makes  the  blood  turn  to  water,  if  it  is 
carried  too  high  the  red  color  will  entirely  disappear,  of  course 
the  chick  is  dead  before  that  can  occur,  but  they  can  be  heated 
hot  enough  to  entirely  destroy  the  vitality  of  the  blood  and  not 
immediately  kill  the  chick.  Therefore,  above  all  things  else, 
avoid  too  much  heat,  the  proper  temperature  will  receive  at- 
tention futher  on. 


INCUBATORS.  151 

AVERAGE  TIME  REQUIRED  TO  HATCH. 

The  average  time  for  all  breeds  is  twenty-one  days,  the  actual 
time  for  the  different  breeds  is  from  nineteen  to  twenty-two 
days.  I  have  frequently  hatched  an  occasional  egg  on  the  seven- 
teenth day,  but  I  am  convinced  that  the  eggs  were  either  started 
before  they  were  laid  or  else  they  had  been  sat  on  by  a  hen  be- 
fore they  were  put  in  the  incubator. 

If  is  a  fact  not  generally  known,  that  a  hen  will  sometimes 
carry  the  egg  after  it  is  fully  formed,  until  it  will  begin  to 
hatch  before  it  is  laid,  but  this  is  a  rare  occurrence,  and  can 
never  take  place  under  ordinary  circumstances,  for  the  hen 
nearly  always  drops  her  egg  in  a  few  hours  at  most,  after  it  be- 
comes perfect,  but  it  sometimes  happens  that  a  hen  from  fright 
or  other  causes  will  retain  her  eggs  until  she  has  three  or  four 
perfect  eggs  in  the  oviduct  all  at  once.  I  killed  a  large  hen 
once  that  had  seven  perfect  eggs  in  her  and  she  was  unable  to 
get  rid  of  any  of  them,  three  of  these  showed  that  incubation 
had  started  quite  plainly. 

Sometimes  a  hen  will  be  so  badly  frightened  that  she  either 
cannot  or  will  not  lay  the  egg  at  the  proper  time,  and  in  that 
case  the  egg  production,  will  cease,  now  what  is  to  hinder  the 
hen  carrying  the  egg  two  or  three  days  and  then  dropping  it, 
and  what  is  to  hinder  it  hatching  afterwards,  and  if  it  did  it 
certainly  would  have  that  much  of  a  start.  It  is  a  well-known 
fact  that  the  germ  cannot  begin  to  develop  until  it  enters  the 
perfect  egg,  then  what  is  to  hinder  it  starting  to  develop  in  the 
hen  as  well  as  out,  some  will  say,  why,  want  of  air  of  course, 
but  that  will  not  hold  water,  all  those  who  know  anything  about 
the  structure  of  the  body  of  the  hen  knows  that  there  is  a  large 
open  cavity,  and  they  should  know  that  this  cavity  must  be  full 
of  air,  else  the  body  of  the  fowl  would  collapse  instanter. 

Now,  who  knows  what  kind  of  air  this  is,  whether  it  contain* 


15$  INCUBATORS. 

\ 

oxygen  or  not,  I  will  have  to  confess  that  I  do  not,  but  would 
like  to  know,  but  I  do  not  see  why  it  should  not,  and  if  it  does 
what  is  to  hinder  the  egg  having  enough  air  in  it  before  it  is 
laid  to  start  it  hatching  while  it  is  still  in  the  body  of  the  hen? 
That  it  does  do  this  sometimes  I  know. 

Any  one  who  will  take  the  trouble,  can  see  the  air  bubble  in 
the  large  end  of  the  egg  just  the  instant  it  is  laid,  although  it 
will  be  quite  small  at  first,  so  that  the  air  that  is  in  it  when  laid 
must  certainly  be  there  while  it  is  still  in  the  hen. 

I  should,  therefore,  conclude  that  all  eggs  that  hatch  under 
nineteen  days,  have  been  started  one  way  or  the  other,  before 
they  were  put  in  the  incubator. 

The  average  time  of  Leghorns,  Games  and  Bantams  in  a  good 
incubator  is  twenty  days.  The  average  time  of  Cochins, 
Brahmas  and  all  the  large,  slow  moving  birds  should  be  put  at 
twenty-one  and  one-half  days ;  I  have  hatched  large  numbers 
of  Cochin  eggs  and  the  great  majority  of  them  came  out  on  the 
twenty-second  day ;  Plymouth  Rocks  hatch  in  just  twenty-one 
days ;  Houdans,  Polands,  Spanish,  Hamburgs,  and  the  Dork- 
ings, all  hatch  in  twenty-one  days.  Ducks  and  Turkeys  in 
twenty-seven  and  one-half  days,  and  Geese  in  twenty-eight 
days 

The  fresh  eggs  will  hatch  quicker  than  stale  ones,  and  also  will 
hatch  more  healthy  chicks ;  I  hatched  a  Plymouth  Rock  egg 
once  that  was  laid  on  January  2d,  and  I  put  it  in  the  incubator  on 
the  18th  of  March  ;  it  had  a  small  hole  in  it  where  a  little  nail 
had  penetrated  the  shell,  I  stuck  a  bit  of  paper  over  the  hole ; 
this  egg  had  laid  in  a  drawer  in  the  office  of  a  store  room  all  the 
time.  The  chick  was  perfect,  but  it  did  not  live,  it  never  eat 
any,  and  was  weak  when  hatched. 

Eggs  that  are  well  taken  care  of  from  good  stock  will  hatch 
WeU  until  three  weeks  old,  middling  well  at  five  weeks,  but 


INCUBATOKS.  158 

longer  than  that  I  would  not  care  to  hatch  them,  because,  even 
if  the  chicks  do  hatch  out  they  are  not  so  healthy  and  vigorous. 

It  will  depend  greatly  on  how  they  are  kept,  my  plan  is  to 
stand  them  with  the  large  end  down,  and  keep  them  at  a 
temperature  as  near  fifty-five  or  sixty  degrees  as  possible  ;  some 
advocate  keeping  the  small  end  down,  but  I  never  could  see  the 
philosophy  of  that  method,  the  main  object  in  keeping  eggs,  is 
to  prevent  the  yolk  adhering  to  the  shell,  and  I  can  see  no  bet- 
ter way  to  make  it  stick  fast  than  to  stand  it  on  the  small  end, 
while,  if  it  is  stood  on  the  large  end,  the  air  bubble  will  tend  to 
keep  it  off  the  shell,  while  the  pressure  of  the  yolk  will  tend  to 
keep  the  bubble  from  spreading  and  drying  up  the  egg,  while, 
if  you  stand  it  with  the  large  end  up,  you  place  it  in  the  best 
position  for  drying  up,  and,  also  for  to  stick  the  yolk  fast  to  the 
shell,  the  very  two  evils  that  you  are  trying  to  avoid. 

It  is  known  to  all  that  have  studied  the  structure  of  the  egg 
that  the  large  end  is  the  most  porous,  any  one  can  test  it  for 
themselves,  by  holding  a  stale  egg  under  water,  and  all  the  air 
will  come  out  of  or  near  to  the  large  end,  now  the  inside  skin  is 
not  fast  to  the  large  end  of  the  egg,  it  is  loose  nearly  one-third 
of  the  way  down,  and  if  it  is  allowed  to  fall  away  from  the  shell 
it  will  just  allow  it  to  dry  up  that  much  faster,  while,  if  it  is^ 
held  down  to  the  shell  it  will  keep  the  pores  closed  and  prevent 
the  drying  up  process. 

In  hatching  chickens,  those  that  come  out  on  time  will  always 
be  the  best  and  strongest,  those  that  come  out  later  than  the 
twenty-third  day,  are  usually  not  of  much  account,  if  they  have 
been  kept  back  for  want  of  sufficient  heat,  they  may  come  oui 
and  do  all  right,  but  if  it  is  because  the  egg  was  not  good  and 
the  germ  vigorous,  it  would  not  pay  to  try  to  raise  them,  over- 
heating will  cause  them  to  be  late  in  coming  out,  in  that  case 
the  chicks  are  useless  and  will  not  pay  for  raising  them,  even  if 
they  live  at  all,  which  will  be  doubtful, 


154  INCUBATORS. 

I  have  tried  how  long  I  could  keep  eggs  back  by  keeping  a 
low  heat,  and  I  have  made  them  hatch  on  the  twenty-sixth  day, 
but  I  never  yet  could  succeed  in  getting  a  chick  to  live  that  was 
later  than  the  twenty-fourth  day  in  coming  out,  and  seldom  then. 

CARE  OF  ARTIFICIALLY  HATCHED  CHICKENS. 

There  is  no  subject  connected  with  the  business,  that  deserves 
the  attention  that  this  does,  for  on  it  all  the  balance  depends. 

The  most  important  requirment  of  young  chicks,  is  warmth, 
the  next  is  an  abundance  of  pure  air,  and  to  be  kept  perfectly 
dry,  then  comes  the  feeding,  and  unless  this  is  properly  done,  all 
the  balance  will  fail,  the  feeding  will  be  treated  of  separately. 

Chicks  when  first  hatched  should  be  kept  at  a  temperature  of 
ninety-eight  to  one  hundred  degrees  for  the  first  twenty-four 
hours,  and  great  care  must  be  used  to  not  allow  them  to  get 
overheated,  it  is  much  easier  to  overheat  five  hundred  or  one 
thousand  chicks  just  out  of  the  shell  than  it  is  to  overheat  that 
many  eggs,  and  it  is  just  as  fatal  to  the  health  of  the  chicks  to 
overheat  them  after  they  are  hatched,  as  it  is  while  they  are  in 
the  egg,  the  only  difference  is,  that  it  will  take  a  little  more 
heat  to  kill  them  than  it  will  while  still  in  the  egg. 

They  require  no  feed  for  the  first  twenty-four  hours,  although 
it  will  do  no  harm  to  give  them  a  little  if  it  is  desired  to  do  so, 
for  there  is  no  danger  that  they  will  eat  enough  to  hurt  them. 

Then,  as  soon  as  they  are  large,  or  rather  old  enough  to  be 
fed  they  must  be  divided  in  small  lots,  if  a  large  number  is  fed 
in  one  lot  there  will  always  be  some  of  them  that  will  not  get 
any,  the  outside  limit  that  ever  I  could  succeed  in  feeding  pro- 
perly in  one  lot  is  one  hundred,  fifty  is  better,  and  twenty-five  is 
just  that  much  better  still,  those  who  divide  their  chicks  up  in 
flocks  of  twenty-five  will  stand  a  much  better  chance  to  raise 
all  of  them  than  they  would  if  left  in  larger  lots. 


INCUBATORS.  155 

Then  it  is  very  important  to  select  out  all  the  weak  ones  and 
put  them  by  themselves,  these,  if  left  with  the  others  will  soon 
be  trampled  to  death,  while,  if  put  by  themselves  will  soon  pick 
up  and  be  all  right.  I  refer  to  the  small  chicks  and  not  to  those 
that  have  any  thing  the  matter  with  them,  a  chick  that  is  sick 
when  hatched  out  will  never  come  to  anything  any  way. 

And  just  here  it  is  pertinent  to  remark  that  healthy  chicks 
can  only  be  hatched  from  eggs  that  are  laid  by  hens  that  are  in 
vigorous  health,  if  eggs  are  hatched  from  yards  that  have  the 
cholera  the  chicks  are  pretty  sure  to  have  it  before  they  are  a 
month  old. 

There  is  no  one  thing  connected  with  the  raising  of  artificial 
chickens  that  require  more  care  than  to  see  that  they  don't  pile 
up  and  smother,  the  best  remedy  for  this  is  to  keep  them  so 
warm  and  comfortable  that  they  will  not  want  to  pile  up, 
chicks  that  are  sick  or  weakly  will  be  muoh  more  apt  to  do  this 
than  those  that  are  in  vigorous  health. 

The  only  way  to  do  it  is  to  keep  them  in  a  brooder  that  will 
keep  them  just  warm  enough  and  not  too  warm,  and  it  must 
give  them  an  abundance  of  pure,  warm  air,  even  in  warm 
weather  chicks  require  a  little  artificial  heat,  at  night,  not  be- 
cause they  realy  need  it,  but  because  if  they  do  not  have  it  they 
will  be  sure  to  crowd  and  smother. 

It  is  best  that  the  heat  should  be  above  the  chicks,  but  while 
it  is  warm  above  it  should  not  be  cold  below  for  if  it  is  the 
chicks  will  not  be  comfortable. 

The  best  plan  that  I  have  ever  tried  is  to  have  a  tank  of  warm 
water  over  the  chicks  lined  with  flannel  underneath  and  in  ad- 
dition to  this  a  heater  to  deliver  pure,  warm  air  directly  in  over 
the  backs  of  the  chicks,  they  are  so  comfortable  that  they  do 
not  think  of  orowding. 


156  INCUBATORS . 

No  matter  what  plan  is  used  there  must  be  abundant  ventila- 
tion and  no  draughts  of  cold  air. 

They  must  have  sunlight,  the  more  the  better,  but  it  is  pretty 
safe  to  say  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  raise  a  flock  of  chicks 
to  the  age  of  three  months  and  not  let  thttn  see  the  sun,  I  can- 
not do  it,  whether  others  can  or  not  I  do  not  know. 

WATERING. 

Another  important  thing  is  the  watering.  Some  claim  that 
no  water  at  all  should  be  given,  and  others  claim  that  they 
should  have  it  all  the  time.  But  I  have  always  had  the  best 
success  by  not  doing  either  the  one  or  the  other  but  by  adopting 
the  middle  course,  my  plan  is  to  give  no  water  in  cold  weather 
except  what  I  put  in  the  feed,  and  in  warm  weather  I  give  them 
from  one  to  three  drinks  daily  owing  to  how  warm  it  is,  if  the 
chicks  are  at  liberty  they  can  have  water  all  the  time  and  it  will 
not  hurt  them,  but  when  confined  as  they  must  be  in  cold 
weather,  if  it  is  before  them  all  the  time  they  will  drink  too 
much  and  it  soon  weakens  their  digestive  apparatus  so  that  they 
soon  depart  for  another  world. 

They  cannot  live  without  water,  but  it  can  be  given  in  the 
feed  in  such  a  manner  that  it  will  furnish  all  the  moisture  that 
is  required  by  the  chick  and  at  the  same  time  not  hurt  them. 

FEEDING. 

On  the  proper  feeding  of  chicks  the  success  or  failure  of 
everything  else  depends,  one  great  point  is  gained  by  starting 
right. 

There  is  no  better  article  for  the  first  feed  than  good,  sweet, 
stale  bread  and  milk,  made  just  wet  enough  so  that  it  will  be 
soft. 

Now,  I  wish  all  who  read  this  to  bear  in  mind  that  I  am 


INCUBATORS.  157 

giving  directions  for  the  feeding  of  chicks  that  are  in  confine- 
ment, if  they  are  at  liberty  and  have  a  good,  large  range  they 
will  not  require  near  as  much  care  as  they  do  when  confined  and 
will  do  well  on  a  much  more  simple  diet. 

Well,  as  I  said  before,  begin  with  stale  bread  and  milk,  this 
can  be  fed  several  times  at  first,  all  the  eggs  that  are  just  the 
least  bit  addled  and  all  the  unfertile  ones  that  do  not  hatch  (an 
unfertile  egg  never  hatches)  can  be  used,  eggs  should  never 
under  any  circumstance  be  fed  dry,  they  should  be  boiled  until 
quite  hard  and  then  mashed  fine,  shells  and  all,  and  should  then 
be  mixed  with  something  else,  either  bread,  potatoes  or  oatmeal, 
and  then  made  soft  with  sweet  milk,  but  never  sloppy.  All  feed 
must  be  cooked,  a  certain  amount  of  cornmeal  is  good,  but  it 
must  never  be  fed  raw,  there  are  many  ways  to  prepare  it  so  as 
to  make  a  good,  wholesome  food.  One  good  way  is  to  scald  the 
meal  then  to  mix  it  in  a  stiff  batter,  use  sour  milk,  and  add 
enough  bi-carbonate  of  soda  to  the  milk  to  make  it  foam,  a  tea- 
spoon to  the  quart  is  the  right  quantity,  then  salt  slightly  and 
add  a  small  quantity  of  lard,  mix  well  and  then  bake  in  a  hot 
oven,  but  not  so  hot  as  to  burn  it. 

When  the  weather  is  cool,  enough  can  be  baked  at  one  time  to 
last  several  days,  the  best  way  to  feed  it  is  to  crumble  it  and 
then  slightly  dampen  with  sweet  milk. 

The  best  wheat  bread  for  chicks  is  made  from  whole  wheat 
ground  fine  and  then  sifted  to  take  out  the  coarse  bran,  bake  it 
just  the  same  as  if  you  were  going  to  eat  it  yourself. 

Then,  for  variety,  use  potatoes,  rice,  barley,  and  a  little  fresh 
meat  of  some  kind,  meat  should  be  cooked  and  then  cut  fine, 
very  little  at  a  time  must  be  fed,  they  should  have  a  little  once 
a  day,  .two  or  three  bites  for  each  chick  is  enough. 

The  best  meat  chopper  that  I  have  ever  tried  is  that  made  by 
the  Enterprise  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania.   It  can  be  obtained  of  nearly  all  hardware  dealers,  it 


168  INCUBATOBS. 

is  cheap  and  easy  to  keep  clean  and  just  what  a  raiser  of 
poultry  needs.  The  man  who  invented  it  deserves  a  gold  medal 
a  yard  in  diameter. 

The  best  way  to  feed  potatoes  is  to  boil  with  the  skins  on  and 
then  mash  up  fine,  for  small  chicks  the  skins  should  be  removed, 
then  add  a  little  salt,  plenty  of  black  pepper,  a  teaspoon  of 
pepper  is  not  too  much  for  one  hundred  chicks,  and  if  the  pota- 
toes are  very  dry  add  a  little  sweet  milk,  they  can  also  be  mixed 
with  other  articles  of  food,  the  best  way  to  feed  the  meat  is  to 
mix  it  with  something  else. 

The  potatoes  must  never  be  watery,  nothing  but  good,  sound 
and  sweet  food  of  any  kind  must  ever  be  used,  nothing  will  de- 
stroy a  lot  of  young  chicks  quicker  than  sour  feed. 

For  green  food  there  is  nothing  superior  to  onions  and  cab- 
bage, give  me  these  and  I  will  agree  to  keep  the  chick  in  good 
health  and  not  use  any  others.  The  onions  must  be  cut  fine  and 
they  can  either  be  mixed  with  the  other  food  or  they  can  be  fed 
alone. 

In  feeding,  variety  should  be  the  rule,  give  a  different  food 
each  time  if  possible,  never  give  more  than  they  will  eat  up 
clean,  never  leave  any  food  to  become  sour  and  dirty  or  you  will 
soon  spoil  the  appetites  of  the  chicks  so  that  they  will  not  eat 
and  then  you  are  done,  a  chick  that  will  not  eat  is  not  of  much 
account. 

The  main  object  in  feeding  is  to  get  the  chicks  to  eat  all  the 
feed  that  it  is  possible  for  them  to  eat  and  remain  in  good  health 
and  condition,  and  the  best  way  to  do  this  is  to  not  leave  it  be- 
fore them  all  the  time  but  to  give  it  often,  my  rule  is  to  feed 
three  times  daily,  some  successful  poultry  raisers  feed  five  times, 
giving  a  little  at  a  time  and  it  is  a  very  good  plan,  but  I  think 
that  my  plan  is  the  best,  I  give  three  main  feeds  daily  and  then 
I  allow  them  to  have  something  to  peck  at  between  times  to 
amuse  themselves,  a  head  of  cabbage,  some  apples,  sweet  ap- 


1KCUBA.T0RS,  159 

pies  are  much  the  beet,  ripe  tomatoes  are  good  when  they  can 
be  had. 

Bones  and  oyster  shells  are  two  of  the  best  articles  for  chicks 
that  can  be  used,  but  it  depends  somewhat  on  how  the  bones 
are  treated,  they  should  be  obtained  while  fresh  and  sweet,  and 
then  place  them  in  an  oven  or  a  stove  and  roast  them  until  they 
are  quite  brown,  it  is  best  not  to  burn  them  black,  they  will  then 
pound  or  grind  up  quite  easily,  and  when  roasted  will  keep 
sweet  for  a  month,  keep  some  of  this  and  some  pulverized 
oyster  shells  before  them  constantly,  the  bones  are  much  the 
best,  and  you  will  be  surprised  at  the  quantity  that  they  will 
eat. 

In  regard  to  feeding  troughs,  I  have  tried  all  that  I  ever  saw 
that  I  thought  was  of  any  use  and  I  have  never  found  anything 
that  is  superior  to  a  shallow  tin  pan  for  small  chicks,  they  are 
easily  kept  clean  and  are  the  best,  any  kind  of  a  trough  that 
will  let  the  head  of  a  small  chick  through  will  let  the  body  of 
all  the  smallest  ones  in  and  it  is  worse  than  useless. 

As  soon  as  the  chick  comes  to  be  of  any  size  you  can  use  a 
trough  with  a  row  of  round  pins  on  each  side  one  inch  apart 
cut  level  on  top  so  that  you  can  cover  it  with  a  light  board,  this 
is  a  good  trough  for  any  kind  of  fowls  old  or  young. 

The  most  difficult  part  of  the  whole  business  is  to  water  the 
chick3  in  such  a  manner  that  they  will  not  get  wet,  no  matter 
what  kind  of  a  vessel  is  used  it  must  be  large  enough  so  that 
the  chicks  can  all  drink  at  once,  else  they  will  fight  and  all  be 
wet  before  any  of  them  can  drink.  The  best  drinking  vessel  is 
made  in  the  following  manner,  they  can  be  made  of  any  desired 
size,  I  will  give  the  proper  size  to  make  one  large  enough  to 
water  twenty-five  chicks  all  at  once,  so  that  they  will  not  fight 
and  get  wet. 

Make  a  tin  pan  nine  inches  in  diameter,  with  a  rim  turned  at 


I  GO  IirCtfBATOBS. 

right  angles  and  three-fourths  of  an  inch  deep,  then  make  a 
second  one-eight  inches  in  diameter  and  two  inches  deep,  solder ' 
three  stops  on  one  or  the  other  so  as  to  hold  the  eight  inch  pan 
at  an  equal  distance  from  the  nine  inch  one  all  round,  then 
make  three  holes  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  diameter  in  the  eight 
inch  pan,  make  them  so  that  the  upper  edge  of  the  holes  will 
be  just  a  half  inch  from  the  bottom  of  the  pan. 

Now,  to  fill  them  just  invert  the  eight  inch  pan  in  a  bucket 
of  water,  place  the  nine  inch  one  over  it  and  turn  over  with  a 
quick  motion,  the  water  will  always  stand  a  half  inch  deep  in 
the  outside  or  nine  inch  pan  but  no  deeper,  so  that  the  chicks 
can  drink  without  getting  wet,  they  are  so  easy  to  keep  clean 
and  are  cheap,  any  tinner  will  make  them  for  twenty  cents 
each,  I  know  of  nothing  that  is  equal  to  them,  freezing  will  not 
burst  them  unless  clear  full  then  it  will. 

Eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of  Liberty.  Eternal  vigilance  is 
the  price  of  chicks.  The  man  or  woman  who  is  as  regular  as  a 
clock  in  the  feeding  of  and  the  care  of  the  chicks  will  succeed, 
those  who  are  not  will  fail,  chicks  must  be  fed  early  in  the 
morning,  and  they  must  be  fed  in  the  evening  before  they  want 
to  go  to  sleep,  they  follow  the  old  maxim,  early  to  bed  and 
early  to  rise,  they  should  be  fed  as  soon  as  they  are  up  in  the 
morning,  a  chick  that  is  in  good  health  and  is  fed  properly  will 
always  have  an  empty  crop  in  the  morning,  and  it  should  always 
be  full  at  night,  if  it  is  not  it  is  either  because  the  chick  did  not 
get  what  it  wanted  or  else  it  is  not  in  good  health. 

Always  go  round  at  night  just  about  the  time  that  the  chicks 
are  going  to  bed  and  see  that  they  don't  pile  up,  that  is  the  time 
that  they  are  the  most  apt  to  do  it,  just  when  they  are  going  to 
roost  take  your  hand  and  gently  spread  them  out  so  that  they 
will  be  sure  to  all  get  plenty  of  air,  when  they  are  a  week  old  is 
the  time  that  you  will  need  to  use  the  most  cares  before  that 


N  WOUBATOBS.  J61 

they  are  not  strong  enough  to  hurt  each  other  much,  and  after 
they  get  a  few  days  over  a  week  old  they  are  not  so  apt  to 
crowd. 

If  they  will  pile  up  in  spite  of  you,  why  then  the  only  remedy 
is  to  have  the  brooder  so  arranged  that  they  cannot  pile  up,  this 
can  be  done  quite  easily,  just  have  a  tank  of  water  above  them 
and  raise  them  so  close  to  it  that  they  will  have  no  room  to  pile 
up,  but  as  I  said  before,  if  they  are  kept  perfectly  comfortable 
they  will  not  do  this,  the  only  time  that  there  is  any  danger  is 
just  when  they  want  to  go  to  sleep  at  first  going  to  bed  at  night, 
you  know  that  it  don't  feel  very  pleasant  to  get  in  a  cold  bed  at 
night,  and  if  the  brooder  is  cold  when  the  chicks  go  in  it  they 
will  be  sure  to  pile  up  and  crowd  each  other,  but  if  it  is  warm 
and  comfortable  they  will  not. 

I  wish  to  repeat,  that  if  they  are  not  kept  warm  and  dry  all 
else  will  fail,  also,  they  must  be  kept  clean,  one  of  the  worst 
things  about  them  is  that  when  confined  they  will  eat  the  drop- 
pings of  each  other  unless  they  are  kept  clean. 

Chicks  will  never  do  any  good  if  they  are  allowed  to  sweat  in 
the  brooder,  the  only  way  to  prevent  it  is  to  give  plenty  of  venti- 
lation of  warm  dry  air. 

PROPER  TEMPERATURE  OF  INCUBATORS. 

The  very  best  point  is  one  hundred  and  three  degrees,  one 
hundred  and  four  degrees,  or  one  hundred  and  two  degrees, 
either  one  will  do,  one  hundred  and  five  degrees  will  not  kill  the 
chicks  but  is  too  warm,  it  will  not  do  to  buy  thermometers 
wherever  you  happen  to  come  across  them,  they  will  be  wrong 
nine  times  out  of  ten,  you  must  either  get  your  thermometer  of 
Rome  one  that  keeps  them  for  that  purpose  or  else  you  will  have 
to  experiment  until  you  get  the  proper  heat,  those  that  are  sold 


102  IHCUBATORS. 

as  a  general  thing  are  not  correct  unless  a  high  price  is  paid  for 
them. 

The  tubes  should  be  seasoned  for  at  least  two  years  before 
they  are  marked,  the  ordinary  weather  thermometers  are  usually 
made  with  the  marks  so  close  together  that  it  requires  the 
greatest  care  in  reading  them  or  else  you  can  vary  two  or  three 
degrees  and  not  know  it. 

Thermometers  for  hatching  eggs  should  have  the  degree  marks 
one-eighth  of  an  inch  or  near  that  apart,  so  that  the  slightest 
change  can  be  noted. 

When  eggs  are  first  put  in  the  incubator  it  will  take  much 
more  lamp  power  to  keep  up  the  heat  than  it  will  after  the 
germs  begin  to  develop  and  the  eggs  to  give  off  animal  heat, 
they  do  not  give  off  much  until  the  end  of  the  second  week,  the 
only  proper  way  to  get  the  exact  heat  of  the  eggs  is  to  lay  the 
thermometers  on  the  eggs,  and  you  must  be  very  sure  that  it  is 
on  fertile  eggs,  eggs  that  are  unfertile  will  not  be  near  as  warm 
as  the  fertile  ones  even  if  they  are  laying  side  by  side. 

When  you  first  put  the  eggs  in  the  incubator  you  cannot  tell 
which  is  the  fertile  eggs  and  of  course  it  will  make  no  difference 
at  that  time,  for  all  will  be  of  the  same  temperature,  but  as  soon 
as  the  germs  begin  to  develop  you  must  test  them  and  find  out 
which  are  the  fertile  ones,  and  then  keep  the  thermometers  on 
them,  keep  it  at  or  near  to  one  hundred  and  three  degrees  all 
the  time  from  first  to  last,  one  hundred  and  four  degrees  will  do 
as  well,  but  you  are  just  one  degree  nearer  to  the  danger  point 
and  will  not  hatch  one  more  chick  at  one  hundred  and  four  de- 
grees than  you  will  at  one  hundred  and  three  degrees. 

Don't  ever  lay  fresh  eggs  in  among  those  that  are  well  ad- 
vanced, it  will  destroy  the  evenness  of  the  heat,  if  you  wifh  to 
put  eggs  in  at  different  times  keep  each  batch  by  itself,  and 
don't  let  the  fresh  eggs  touch  those  that  are  under  way. 


INCUBATORS.  163 

The  best  results  will  be  obtained  by  filling  the  machine  full 
all  at  one  time,  and  it  will  be  much  less  trouble  to  care  for  the 
chicks,  but  it  often  will  happen  that  a  person  wants  to  put  in  a 
few  at  a  time,  and  they  should  know  the  plan  that  will  give  the 
best  results,  it  is  as  I  said  before,  keep  each  lot  separate  from 
the  others. 

All  of  my  large  machines,  from  six  hundred  eggs  and  upwards 
are  now  so  made  that  by  the  use  of  a  system  of  stop  cocks 
whereby  the  circulation  of  the  water  can  be  controlled  at  the 
will  of  the  operator,  each  set  of  trays  can  be  kept  at  a  different 
temperature,  so  that  one  large  machine  can  be  run  in  just  the 
same  manner  that  two  or  more  small  ones  could,  that  is,  one  set 
of  trays  can  be  full  of  eggs  that  are  well  advanced  and  another 
full  of  fresh  eggs  and  each  set  kept  at  the  same  heat  which 
would  be  impossible  under  ordinary  circumstances.  And  when 
it  is  desired  to  do  so  the  entire  machine  can  be  kept  at  the  same 
heat,  the  great  advantage  of  this  arrangement  will  be  at  once 
appreciated  by  any  one  that  has  ever  run  an  incubator. 

TESTING  OF  THE  EGGS. 

This  is  a  subject  of  much  importance,  and  it  is  one  that  can 
only  be  thoroughly  learned  by  experience,  although  a  little  in- 
telligent instruction  will  learn  a  novice  more  in  one  hatch  than 
he  would  learn  in  two  years  by  experience  as  a  general  thing. 

First,  all  eggs  must  be  divided  into  two  classes,  fertile  and 
unfertile,  the  fertile  eggs  must  be  divided  again,  those  that  will 
hatch  and  those  that  will  not,  those  that  will  bitch  must  be 
divided  into  three  classes,  viz :,  those  that  are  /igorous,  those 
that  are  weak;,  and  those  that  are  very  weak. 

The  unfertile  ones  should  all  be  classed  as  one  kind,  but  there 
will  be  an  almost  infinite  variety  of  forms,  these  will  be  de- 
scribed'presently. 


164  IHCUBAT0B8. 

The  fertile  ones  (that  is  each  of  the  three  separate  classes), 
will  all  look  as  much  alike  as  two  peas,  or  as  so  many  grains  of 
corn ;  of  the  vigorous,  all  will  hatch,  barring  accidents ;  of  the 
weak,  most  of  them  will  hatch  under  good  conditions ;  of  the 
very  weak,  they  can  all  be  considered  doubtful,  some  will  hatch 
and  some  will  not,  these  differences  will  not  be  distinctly  marked 
until  the  sixth  day,  and  to  an  operator  that  has  but  little  ex- 
perience will  not  be  plain  even  then  without  instructions. 

First,  the  vigorous,  these  on  the  third  day  of  incubation  will 
show  a  small  ant  shaped  clot  with  the  small,  bright  red  blood 
vessels  radiating  in  all  directions,  a  ten  cent  piece  will  usually 
cover  the  whole  thing  at  the  age  of  three  days,  but  I  have  seen 
them  so  large  that  a  half  dollar  would  hardly  do  it,  with  clear 
shells,  a  good  light,  and  a  good  egg  tester,  the  heart  can  be 
seen  beating  quite  plainly  on  the  third  day. 

I  wish  to  remark  here,  that  the  best  egg  tester  that  can  be 
made  is  in  the  reach  and  means  of  any  one  who  will  go  to  a 
little  trouble  to  make  it,  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  make  a  room 
perfectly  dark,  or  even  darken  a  single  window  both  inside  and 
outside,  it  must  be  one  that  will  get  the  sunshine,  then  have  a 
board  with  a  hole  through  it  and  a  piece  of  soft  gum  or  soft 
leather  with  an  oblong  hole,  and  made  so  that  the  eggs  will  not 
go  through  it  when  held  tight  against  it  to  exclude  the  light. 

"No  light  must  come  in  the  room  except  what  comes  through 
this  hole,  and  the  sun  must  shine  on  the  hole  in  order  to  get  the 
best  results,  although  fair  work  can  be  done  on  a  cloudy  day, 
for  testing  large  numbers  it  is  the  only  thing  that  I  ever  tried 
that  would  not  tire  my  eyes,  the  main  thing  is  to  have  the  room 
perfectly  dark. 

Well,  to  resume,  the  vigorous  eggs  on  the  fifth  day  will  look 
more  like  a  large  spider  than  anything  else,  although  it  is  im- 
possible to  see  one  in  a  hundred  of  the  blood  vessels  with  the 


INCUBATORS.  165 

naked  eye,  still  there  will  be  enough  of  them  seen  to  make  it 
look  like  a  large  spider  sitting  on  a  small  web,  on  the  fourth  day 
a  black  dot  will  be  seen  on  the  small  end  of  the  clot,  on  the 
sixth  day  this  will  be  much  increased  in  size,  on  the  eighth  day 
it  will  appear  to  be  the  largest  part  of  the  chick,  this  is  the  eyes. 

On  the  fifth  day  the  chick  begins  to  move,  it  will  only  occa- 
sionally do  this,  on  the  sixth  day  it  will  move  quite  often,  on 
the  seventh  day  it  will  be  in  motion  constantly,  a  waving  pul- 
sating movement,  backwards  and  forwards,  up  and  down  in  a 
circle  apparently,  never  stopping  more  than  a  few  seconds  at  a 
time,  this  motion  I  think  is  involuntary,  and  is  no  more  under  the 
control  of  the  chick  than  is  the  beating  of  the  heart,  but  I  do 
not  state  this  as  a  fact  for  I  know  of  no  means  of  proving  it  to 
my  own  satisfaction,  this  motion  is  kept  up  constantly  until 
about  the  twelfth  day,  when  it  gradually  begins  to  cease  until 
on  the  fifteenth  day  the  motion  is  entirely  under  the  control  of 
the  will  of  the  chick  and  it  will  only  move  when  it  wants  to. 

The  circulatory  system  of  an  egg  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
objects  in  nature,  thousands  of  minute  air  cells  line  the  inside 
of  the  shell,  these  take  the  place  of  the  lungs  in  purifying  the 
blood,  the  blood  is  forced  by  the  action  of  the  heart  into  the 
circulation,  does  the  perfect  work  of  nature  by  contributing  to 
the  growth  of  the  embryo,  it  is  carried  to  the  air  cells,  becomes 
purified  and  is  then  carried  back  to  the  heart,  again  to  be  sent 
on  the  same  round  of  labor,  this  goes  on  constantly  and  evenly 
(that  is,-  it  will  if  the  heat  is  even),  and  as  all  the  air  that  the 
blood  receives  comes  through  the  pores  of  the  shell,  it  shows 
how  important  to  the  successful  hatching  of  healthy  chicks,  it  is 
that  the  eggs  should  be  perfectly  clean. 

As  soon  as  the  blood  vessels  become  well  developed,  an  ex- 
perienced eye  will  at  once  detect  the  difference  between  the 
main  veins  and  arteries.     The  veins  will  be  of  a  deep  blackish 


166  IKCUBATORS. 

red  and  the  arteries  will  be  a  bright  scarlet,  the  difference  will 
not  be  so  marked  as  the  difference  in  venous  and  arterial  blood 
that  is  taken  from  man  or  an  animal,  but  it  is  quite  plainly- 
marked  to  an  experienced  eye. 

Of  the  weak  eggs  the  only  apparent  difference  between  them 
and  the  vigorous  is  that  they  will  be  very  much  smaller  in  size 
at  a  given  age,  and  the  blood  vessels  will  not  look  so  red  or  so 
plentiful  as  in  the  others,  but  still  the  most  of  them  will  hatch 
under  very  favorable  conditions,  but  the  chicks  usually  will  be 
later  coming  out  and  when  they  are  out  they  will  not  grow  as 
fast  as  the  others. 

Fortunately  if  the  eggs  are  from  good,  vigorous,  healthy  hens 
the  proportion  of  weakly  chicks  will  be  very  small. 

Of  the  very  weak,  but  few  of  these  will  hatch  at  all,  the  most 
of  the  very  weak  eggs  will  be  loose,  by  that  I  mean  that  the 
blood  vessels  are  not  fast  to  the  shell,  this  can  be  told  by  turn- 
ing the  egg  over  and  over,  and  the  embryo  will  be  seen  to  float 
freely  all  through  the  egg,  should  it  not  be  fast  to  the  shell  by 
the  sixth  day  at  the  farthest,  the  chick  will  not  hatch,  it  will 
be  for  want  of  air  if  for  no  other  reason. 

Most  of  them  will  be  dead  by  the  eighth  day,  but  all  that 
survive  that  period  stand  a  chance  of  getting  out  if  the  circum- 
stances are  all  favorable,  if  not  they  are  sure  to  die. 

Last,  comes  those  that  don't  ever  hatch  at  all,  although  fer- 
tile, these  in  poultry  parlance  are  called  addled,  they  are  what 
make  the  rotten  eggs,  an  egg  that  is  unfertile  will  keep  perfectly 
sweet  in  the  incubator  during  the  whole  period  of  incubation, 
and  if  it  is  not  shook  or  disturbed  will  keep  longer  even  than 
that. 

The  addled  eggs  have  such  an  infinite  variety  of  forms  that 
it  would  be  out  of  the  question  to  describe  them  all,  they  also 
come  from  various  causes,  mostly  from  imperfect  germs,  many 


INCUBATORS.  167 

are  made  by  the  hens  sitting  on  the  eggs  long  enough  to  just 
start  the  germ  growing,  the  egg  is  then  taken  away  and  of 
course  the  growth  stops  at  once,  then,  if  the  egg  is  put  in  the 
incubator  in  a  day  or  two  no  harm  will  be  done  usually,  but  if 
it  is  kept  any  length  of  time  the  germ  either  dies  outright  or 
else  when  it  is  put  in  the  incubator  it  will  degenerate  into  some 
kind  of  a  small  monstrosity,  live  a  few  days  and  then  die. 

Some  of  them  will  appear  as  a  small  round  ring,  others  as  a 
large  ring  the  size  of  a  quarter  to  the  half  of  the  egg,  others 
will  appear  to  be  a  zig-zag  streak,  and  will  run  in  all  sorts  of 
shapes.  Looking  for  all  the  world  as  if  they  had  been  struck 
with  lightning,  or  rather  like  a  zig-zag  streak  of  lightning, 
others  will  appear  to  have  started  off  all  right,  and  then  a  small 
vein  will  have  broken  and  the  embryo  has  bled  to  death,  some 
will  show  nothing  but  a  dirty  looking  spot,  others  will  just  be 
slightly  cloudy  and  no  signs  of  red  at  all,  some  will  show  a 
long,  straight  streak,  others  a  short  one,  again  we  will  see  one 
with  a  reddish  band  from  one-eighth  to  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
wide,  running  clear  round  the  shell,  this  kind  is  not  often  seen, 
in  my  experience,  not  once  in  a  thousand  eggs,  but  it  is  not 
necessary  to  name  any  more  varieties,  when  one  is  seen  that  is 
radically  different  from  the  spider-like  form,  it  may  as  well  be 
thrown  away,  for  even  if  it  is  not  dead  it  will  either  die  in  the 
shell  or  else  it  will  hatch  a  cripple. 

I  would  advise  all  operators  to  select  out  all  but  the  perfect 
and  vigorous  embryos  and  throw  them  away  for  even  if  you  get 
them  hatched  out  they  will  not  on  the  average  pay  for  the 
raising. 

It  is  much  cheaper  to  throw  a  few  eggs  away  than  to  bother 
with  a  few  weakly  chicks  that  will  never  pay  for  the  raising. 

Of  course  it  will  not  do  for  one  that  has  no  experience  to  do 
this  for  they  would  be  apt  to  throw  those  away  that  might  be 


168  IKCUBATORS. 

good,  but  a  years  work  at  the  business  will  tell  any  on«  what 
they  want  to  do. 

The  eggs  of  the  Duck,  Goose,  Turkey  and  Guinea,  will  be 
very  much  slower  about  starting  off  than  hen  eggs,  and  must 
not  be  classed  with  them  at  all. 

They  will  hardly  show  that  they  are  started  at  all  on  the  third 
day,  even  to  an  experienced  eye,  and  a  novice  would  not  be  able 
to  see  anything,  without  a  very  close  observation,  nothing  but  a 
small  cloudy  spot  will  show,  and  this  would  be  overlooked  by 
many. 

There  will  mostly  be  a  few  chicks  that  will  die  when  full 
grown  even  under  the  most  favorable  condition,  this  will  occur 
from  a  variety  of  causes,  some  of  them  will  stick  their  beak 
through  the  skin  of  the  yolk  and  that  is  sure  death,  others  will 
choke  either  because  the  shell  was  too  thick  to  allow  it  to  dry  up 
sufficiently  to  supply  the  chick  with  air  when  it  needed  it,  or  be- 
cause it  has  the  head  in  the  wrong  part  of  the  shell. 

Some  will  die  from  sheer  overwork  and  exhaustion,  trying  to 
get  out,  especially  if  the  shell  is  very  thick  and  hard,  they  are 
very  easily  overheated  at  this  time  as  the  exertion  of  the  chick 
in  trying  to  get  out  will  heat  it  more  or  less  owing  to  how  hard 
it  works. 

This  is  the  time  that  the  most"  care  is  required  to  see  that  the 
heat  does  not  go  too  high,  keep  the  thermometer  right  in  among 
the  chicks  that  are  coming  out  and  see  that  the  heat  does  not  go 
higher  than  one  hundred  and  three  degrees.  The  best  heat  for 
chicks  that  are  coming  out  lively  is  one  hundred  and  two  de- 
grees, and  it  is  very  important  that  the  heat  should  be  just 
right,  it  is  just  as  bad  for  it  to  be  too  low  as  too  high,  if  the 
heat  is  too  low  the  chick  will  not  properly  absorb  the  yolk. 

The  majority  of  chicks  absorb  the  yolk  into  the  abdomen 
just  as  they  are  coming  out,  that  is,  they  do  this  when  they 


INCUBATORS.  iO» 

come  out  on  time,  if  they  are  a  day  or  two  late  coming  out  they 
may  have  the  yolk  absorbed  before  they  chip  the  shell. 

But  if  they  come  out  on  time,  they  first  chip  the  shell  and 
then  take  a  rest  of  from  two  to  ten  hours,  they  then  begin  to 
turn  around,  and  as  they  turn  they  throw  back  the  head  and 
each  time  they  throw  back  the  head  they  will  break  the  shell 
a  little  farther  until  they  finally  break  it  so  near  around  that  by 
stretching  out  they  are  able  to  burst  it  open  and  come  out. 
"Well,  if  the  heat  is  too  low  when  this  is  going  on  it  seems  to 
operate  against  the  absorption  of  the  yolk  so  that  the  chick  will 
come  out  with  the  yolk  more  or  less  out  and  it  is  usually  useless 
to  try  to  save  it,  while,  if  the  heat  is  too  high,  it,  with  the  ex- 
ertion of  the  chick,  will  often  overcome  it  so  that  it  will  die  and 
nothing  can  be  seen  to  be  the  matter  with  it,  only  too  much  heat 
Now  here  is  two  rules  to  go  by  and  either  one  will  give  you 
good  results. 

First,  keep  the  heat  at  one  hundred  and  three  degrees  all  the 
time  from  the  first  day  the  eggs  are  put  in  the  incubator  until 
the  chicks  begin  to  chip  the  shells,  then  drop  to  one  hundred 
and  two  degrees  until  they  are  all  out. 

Second,  set  the  regulator  so  that  the  heat  will  run  from  one 
hundred  and  two  degrees  to  one  hundred  and  four  degrees  and 
back  again,  etc.,  from  first  to  last,  and  as  soon  as  they  begin  to 
chip  set  it  so  as  to  run  steady  at  one  hundred  and  two  degrees 
I  have  no  choice  between  the  two  methods  as  far  as  the  num- 
ber of  chicks  that  will  be  hatched  is  concerned,  but  if  there  is 
any  difference  in  the  chicks  it  will  be  in  favor  of  the  latter 
method.  Mind,  I  don't  say  that  there  is  any  difference,  but  I 
believe  that  the  latter  method  allows  more  oxygen  to  reach  the 
blood  of  the  chick  than  the  first,  but  this  is  a  point  that  each 
one  can  decide  to  their  own  satisfaction,  one  way  will  hatch  as 
many  chicks  as  the  other. 


170  INCUBATORS. 

But  which  ever  plan  you  may  adopt,  be  sure  above  all 
things  to  not  overheat  them,  nothing  is  more  discouraging  to  an 
operator  to  hatch  out  a  fine  looking  lot  of  chicks  and  have  them 
all  die  and  not  know  what  is  the  matter,  if  they  are  properly 
hatched  they  will  be  the  strongest  kind  of  chicks,  but  if  not, 
they  may  appear  to  be  all  right  and  still  all  die.  If  they  have 
the  proper  heat  and  plenty  of  fresh  air  all  the  time  and  then 
come  out  on  time  they  will  be  all  right,  and  will,  if  properly 
fed,  out  grow  nine-tenths  of  those  that  are  hatched  by  hens. 
There  is  not  more  than  one  hen  in  ten  that  can  keep  the  heat 
just  right  all  the  time,  unless  the  weather  is  favorable. 


INCUBATORS. 


171 


THE 


BEST  INCUBATORS  WE  KNOW  OP. 

THE  EUREKA  INCUBATOR, 

MANUFACTURED  BY  MR.  J.  L.  CAMPBELL,  WEST  ELIZABETH,  PA. 


J.UCAMPBELL,  WATO*}g^E 
frUJBOIEKrfa,**.     TM*HHJT 


The  cut  represents  an  Incubator  with  a  capacity  of  three 
hundred  eggs.     It  is  made  as  follows  : 

The  case  is  made  of  wood.  It  is  double,  with  an  air  space 
between  the  inner  and  outter  case.  This  serves  a  double  pur- 
pose, it  makes  it  possible  for  the  machine  to  withstand  a  large 
variation  of  temperature,  and  it  also  protects  the  outside  case 
from  the  action  of  the  heat  and  moisture  from  within. 

The  heat  is  distributed  to  the  eggs  by  means  of  a  double  cop- 
per tank,  the  lower  tank  is  made  to  cover  the  entire  bottom  of 


i72  INCUBATORS. 

the  machine  and  it  is  connected  to  the  top  tank  by  fotif  Of  mOre 
brass  pipes,  owing  to  size  of  machine.  A  false  bottom  is  placed 
inside  over  the  lower  tank,  and  between  this  and  the  tank  is  a 
hot  air  space  where  all  the  fresh  air  that  goes  inside  the  machine 
is  heated,  on  the  top  of  this  false  bottom  is  placed  a  pan  of 
water  which  furnishes  all  the  moisture  that  is  required  to  hatch 
the  eggs. 

The  water  in  the  lower  tank  is  heated  by  the  lamp  and  the 
hot  water  rises  to  the  top  tank  by  means  of  the  connecting 
pipes.  The  eggs  are  placed  under  the  top  tank  and  the  greater 
part  of  the  heat  that  hatches  them  is  radiated  from  the  upper 
tank,  just  enough  is  allowed  to  come  from  the  lower  one  to  over- 
come the  bad  results  of  having  it  entirely  cold  below  the  eggs. 

The  heat  is  regulated  perfectly  by  a  most  simple  and  perfect 
arrangement  that  is  entirely  different  from  any  other  one  that  is 
in  use  at  the  present  time. 

Nothing  is  used  that  will  ever  wear  out  or  need  renewing. 
There  is  a  thermostat  placed  inside  just  over  the  eggs  and  con- 
trols the  exact  heat  of  the  eggs,  a  lever  is  connected  .to  this 
thermostat  and  comes  out  on  top  of  the  machine  as  shown  in 
the  cut,  this  lever  is  moved  one  way  by  the  heat  and  the  other 
way  by  the  cold,  it  is  so  sensitive  to  a  change  either  way  that 
the  amount  of  variation  required  to  move  it  cannot  be  measured 
on  a  common  thermometer,  it  requires  about  the  one-tenth  of 
one  degree  to  move  the  lever  sufficient  to  make  it  shut  off  the 
lamp  and  open  a  ventilator.     This  is  done  as  follows : 

There  is  a  small  clock- work  movement  that  is  connected  to 
the  lamp,  and  to  a  valve  or  ventilator  that  is  placed  in  the  top  of 
the  machine,  there  is  a  lever  on  this  clock  that  has  a  long  and  a 
short  end,  one  end  always  rests  on  the  top  of  the  thermostatic 
lever.  When  the  short  end  of  it  rests  on  the  thermostatic  lever 
the  ventilator  is  closed  and  the  lamp  is  burning  full,  as  soon  as 


1NC0BATORS.  IIS 

the  heat  rises  to  the  point  at  which  it  is  set  the  thermostatic  lever 
moves  back  a  little  and  allows  the  short  end  of  the  clock  lever 
to  slip  off,  in  doing  this  the  clock  lever  makes  a  half  revolution 
and  the  long  end  catches  and  at  the  same  time  opens  the  venti- 
lator and  turns  down  the  lamp. 

This  can  be  set  so  as  to  hold  the  heat  exactly  at  one  point,  or 
it  can  be  set  so  as  to  allow  the  heat  to  run  up  and  down  from 
one  degree,  to  two  degrees,  or  even  three  degrees,  but  not  over 
three. 

Another  special  feature  of  this  machine  is  the  clock  for  turn- 
ing the  eggs,  all  that  has  to  be  done  is  to  wind  the  clock  twice  a 
week  and  the  eggs  are  all  carefully  turned  four  times  each 
twenty-four  hours,  this  is  a  very  important  feature  of  this 
machine,  as  the  eggs  are  turned  no  matter  whether  the  operator 
is  present  or  not. 

Underneath  the  machine  is  a  nursery  for  the  young  chicks, 
they  are  taken  out  of  the  incubator  as  soon  as  hatched  and 
placed  in  the  nursery,  this  nursery  is  heated  by  the  same  lamp 
that  heats  the  eggs,  there  is  a  hot  air  chamber  in  the  centre  of 
the  nursery,  the  fresh  air  is  conducted  into  this  from  the  out- 
side and  becomes  heated  and  is  distributed  over  the  top  of  the 
chicks. 

The  entire  machine  is  very  perfect  and  at  the  same  time  it  is 
not  at  all  complicated,  any  person  of  ordinary  intelligence  can 
comprehend  it  at  once,  it  has  the  fewest  parts  of  any  self  regu- 
lating machine  that  is  made. 

The  machine  does  the  work  to  perfection.  Many  who  have 
bought  them  claim  to  have  hatched  every  egg,  but  the  maker 
considers  that  eighty-five  per  cent,  is  a  good  average,  taking 
eggs  as  they  come,  good  eggs  that  are  well  taken  care  of  in 
storing  will  average  that  many  all  the  time,  at  the  same  time  it 
is  a  very  common  thing  to  hatch  ninety-five  per  cent. 


174  INCUBATORS. 

The  machine  is  made  in  all  sizes  from  sixty  eggs  to  five 
thousand  eggs,  the  large  machines  are  much  the  cheapest  in 
proportion  to  the  number  of  eggs  that  they  will  hold,  the  labor 
of  making  one  that  will  hold  sixty  eggs  is  just  the  same  as  to 
make  one  that  will  hold  three  hundred  eggs.  The  prices  for  the 
complete  machine  is  as  follows  : 

60  eggs,  $57  ;  100  eggs,  $62.50  ;  200  eggs,  $69  ;  300  eggs,  $75  ; 
500  eggs,  $116  ;  600  eggs,  £126  ;  1,000  eggs,  $180;  1,500  eggs, 
$222;  2,000  eggs,  $264;  2,500  eggs,  $315;  3,000  eggs,  $346; 
4,000  eggs'  $438  ;  5,000  eggs,  $520. 


INCUBATORS. 

THE  EUREKA  BROODER. 


175 


The  cut  represents  a  brooder  for  two  hundred  chicks,  the  size 
of  it  is  three  feet  wide  and  six  feet  long,  twenty  inches  high  at 
the  comb  of  roof,  the  sides  are  made  of  two  wide  boards  cut  to 
the  proper  shape  and  the  floor  is  nailed  on  cross  ways  out  of 
flooring. 


176  INCUBATOBS. 

The  heating  apparatus  consists  of  a  double  sheet-iron  lamp 
chamber,  a  pair  of  hot  water  tanks  and  a  lamp. 

The  lamp  chamber  serves  the  double  purpose  of  heating  the 
water  in  the  tanks,  and  it  also  makes  a  hot  air  heater,  the 
air  enters  at  the  bottom  of  the  heater  on  the  outside  of  the 
brooder  and  is  heated  and  then  rises  to  the  top  and  comes  out 
inside  over  the  top  of  the  chicks,  the  brooder  can  be  used  as  a 
hot  air  brooder  and  not  use  the  tanks  if  it  is  so  desired,  but  it 
is  best  to  use  the  tanks  as  a  general  thing. 

The  tanks  rest  on  the  top  of  the  lamp  box  or  chamber  and  are 
heated  through  the  iron  top,  the  under  side  of  the  tanks  are 
covered  with  flannel,  the  lower  part  of  the  brooder  is  divided 
into  four  rooms,  movable  platforms  are  placed  under  the  tanks 
so  that  the  small  chicks  can  get  their  backs  up  against  the  warm 
tanks. 

The  large  room  above  the  tanks  answers  the  purpose  of  a 
nursery  for  small  chicks. 

In  using  the  brooder  the  chicks  must  be  kept  warm  enough  so 
that  they  will  not  pile  up  on  each  other.  Also,  when  it  is  so 
desired,  the  platforms  can  be  raised  up  so  close  to  tho  tanks  that 
the  chicks  have  not  room  to  pile  on  each  other,  but  it  is  always 
best  to  keep  them  warm  and  comfortable  and  then  they  will  sit 
around  and  not  crowd  at  all. 

More  failures  to  raise  the  chicks  that  are  hatched  in  incu- 
bators have  resulted  from  keeping  too  many  in  one  lot,  than  all 
the  other  causes  combined,  fifty  chicks  in  one  lot  is  as  many  as 
should  be  kept  together. 

Poultry  raisers  are  beginning  to  find  this  out,  and  those  who 
have  adopted  the  plan  of  keeping  the  chicks  in  lots  of  not  over 
fifty  chicks  have  been  successful. 

Nothing  is  of  more  importance  than  plenty  of  pure  air  with- 


INCUBATORS.  177 

out  draughts.     The  Eureka  Brooder  uses  the  correct  system  of 
ventilation  for  this  purpose. 

All  know  that  hot  air  rises,  also,  that  foul  air  sinks,  when  the 
brooder  is  in  operation  the  fresh  air  in  going  through  the  heater 
has  considerable  pressure,  and  coming  in  at  the  top  it  gradually 
mixes  with  the  inside  air  so  as  to  not  cause  a  draught  and  at  the 
same  time  it  forces  the  foul  air  out  at  the  floor  of  the  brooder  at- 
tbe  openings  that  are  provided  for  that  purpose. 

This  brooder  can  be  used  out  in  the  open  air  and  will  keep  the 
chicks  dry  and  warm  no  matter  how  severe  the  storm,  but  all 
brooders  should  be  used  in  a  shed  if  possible. 

The  brooder  shown  in  the  cut  is  arranged  so  that  four  separate 
yards  can  be  made  to  connect  with  it,  and  each  one  will  have  its 
own  door  to  go  in  and  out,  each  room  is  large  enough  to  accom- 
modate fifty  chicks  until  they  are  large  enough  to  do  without 
artificial  heat.  Then  the  nursery  can  be  made  to  accommodate 
one  hundred  chicks  more  until  they  are  from  a  week  to  ten 
days  old. 

The  nursery  has  bottom  heat  only,  and  while  this  is  good  for 
young  chicks  for  the  reason  that  there  is  no  place  for  them  to  go 
out  in  the  cold  until  they  learn  to  go  in  under  the  tanks,  still  I 
never  could  successfully  raise  them  to  any  size  with  bottom  heat 
alone  for  the  reason  that  it  would  make  them  weak  in  the  legs 
almost  invariably.     Price  list  of  Brooders  are  as  follows  : 

25  chicks,  $6  ;  50  chicks,  $8  ;  100  chicks,  $12  ;  200  chicks, 
$16 ;  500  chicks.  $20  ;  1,000  chicks,  $35. 


178 


INCUBATORS. 


THE  KEYSTONE  INCUBATOR  AND    BROODER. 

MANUFACTURED      BY     THE     KEYSTONE     INCUBATOR    COMPANY, 
PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


The  following  description  gives  a  full  and  clear  analysis  of 
the  construction  of  this  machine,  showing  in  detail  its  various 
parts  and  method  of  operation. 

Heat  is  applied  by  means  of  water,  which  is  heated  by  a 
small  oil  stove  on  the  outside,  and  kept  in  constant  circulation 
through  tubes  running  upward  in  each  of  the  four  corners  of 
the  machine,  and  thence  through  a  hollow  framework,  which  is 


INCUBATORS.  179 

made  of  the  best  sheet  copper,  and  serves  as  shelves  for  the  egg 
frames.  By  this  means  the  water  is  kept  uniform  in  all  parts  of 
the  machine,  which  is  a  matter  of  great  importance  in  securing 
successful  results,  and  is  a  distinctively  original  feature  of  this 
machine. 

The  hollow  framework  before  mentioned  is  neatly  fitted  into 
a  wooden  case,  with  a  door  on  one  side,  to  facilitate  the  hand- 
ling of  the  egg  frames,  and  open  at  the  bottom,  which  is  flush 
with  the  lower  hot  water  shelf. 

A  space  of  three  inches,  directly  beneath  the  lower  hot  water 
shelf  forms  the  brooder,  which  is  open  on  one  side  for  the  at- 
tachment of  the  yard,  as  shown  in  the  cut,  which  allows  the  < 
chicks  to  run  about  at  will. 

The  egg-frames  are  three  in  number,  and  are  made  to  slide 
between  the  hot  water  shelves. 

Beneath  the  egg-frames  are  the  moisture-pans,  the  bottoms  of 
which  are  lined  with  asbestos,  which,  by  pouring  on  water,  will 
take  up  and  hold  enough  to  supply  the  eggs  with  moisture  for 
twenty-four  hours. 

The  heat  regulating  apparatus  is  a  thermostatic  arrangement. 
The  least  variation  in  heat— so  little  that  the  thermometer  does 
not  register — will  cause  the  regulator  to  act.  When  the  tempera- 
ture is  too  high  it  shuts  off  part  of  the  flame,  thus  saving  oil. 
The  regulator  can  be  seen  to  open  and  close  frequently  in  a  very 
short  time,  the  mercury  in  the  thermometer  all  the  while  re- 
maining stationery. 

This  machine  obtained  first  preminm  at  the  Pennsylvania 
State  Fair,  held  in  Philadelphia  in  September  1884. 

Prices  are  as  follows :  100  eggs,  $50 ;  200  eggs,  $60 ;  800 
eggs,  $75.    Yard  for  brooder  $5  extra. 


180 


INCUBATOKS. 


SAVIDGE  HYDRO-INCUBATOR. 


MANUFACTURED  BY  C.  W.  SAVIDGE,  2534  HUNTINGTON  fcTWCKg; 


PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


The  abovw  shows  what  the  incubator  looks  like  when  finished. 
It  is  a  tank  enclosed  with  four  inches  of  sawdust.  The  saw- 
dust, which  is  called  the  packing,  is  under,  all  around,  and  on 
the  top,  even  in  front  of  the  egg-draw,  so  that  the  heat  is  com- 
pletely retained  and  enclosed.  On  the  top  is  a  tin  tube,  into 
which  the  water  is  poured  into  the  tank  in  the  inside,  and  in 
front,  just  above  the  egg-drawer,  is  a  spigot  by  which  the  cold 
water  can  be  drawn  off  before  adding  that  which  is  hot. 

The  sizes  and  dimensions  need  not  be  given,  for  the  reason 
that  some  prefer  small  sizes  while  others  are  partial  to  those  that 
are  larger.  A  tank  fifteen  inches  wide  and  twenty-five  inches 
long  will  answer  for  an  incubator  holding  seventy-five  eggs. 
The  tank  should  be  twelve  inches  deep.  Any  depth  may  be 
given  it  that  may  be  desired,  for  the  greater  the  volume  of  water, 
the  easier  and  longer  the  retention  of  heat. 


•  INCUBATORS.  181 

! 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  RUNNING  THE  SATIDGE  INCUBATOR. 

Place  the  incubator  in  a  room  where  the  temperature  does  not 
fall  below  fifty  degrees  Fahrenheit,  if  possible.  This  is  not 
absolutely  necessary,  but  it  will  be  found  more  economical,  and 
then  fill  the  tank  with  boiling  water ;  it  must  remain  untouched 
for  twenty-four  hours,  as  it  requires  time  during  which  to  heat 
completely  through;  as  it  will  heat  slowly  it  will  also  cool 
slowly.  Let  it  cool  down  to  one  hundred  and  fifteen  degrees, 
and  then  put  in  the  eggs,  or,  what  is  better,  rnn  it  without  eggs 
for  a  day  or  two  in  order  to  learn  it,  and  notice  its  variation. 
When  the  eggs  are  put  in,  the  drawer  will  cool  down  some. 
All  that  is  required  then,  is  to  add  about  a  bucket  of  water  once 
a  day  in  summer,  and  in  the  winter  once  or  twice  a  day,  in  the 
morning  and  at  night,  but  be  careful  about  endeavoring  to  get 
up  heat  suddenly,  as  the  heat  does  not  rise  for  five  hours  after 
the  additional  bucket  of  water  is  added.  The  tank  radiates  the 
heat  down  on  the  eggs,  there  being  nothing  between  the  iron 
bottom  of  the  tank  and  the  eggs,  for  the  wood  over  and  around 
the  tank  does  not  extend  across  the  bottom  of  the  tank.  The 
cool  air  comes  from  below  in  the  ventilator  pipes,  passing 
through  the  muslin  bottom  of  the  egg  drawer  to  the  eggs.  Lay 
the  eggs  in,  the  same  as  in  a  nest,  promiscuously.  Keep  the 
heat  inside  the  egg  drawer  as  near  one  hundred  and  three  de- 
grees as  possible.  Avoid  opening  the  egg  drawer  frequently,  as 
it  allows  too  much  escape  of  heat.  Be  sure  your  thermometer 
records  correctly,  as  half  the  failures  are  due  to  iucorrect  ther- 
mometers, and  not  one  in  twenty  is  correct.  Place  the  bulb  of 
the  thermometer  even  with  the  top  of  the  eggs,  that  is,  when 
the  thermometer  is  laying  down  in  the  drawer,  the  upper  end 
should  be  slightly  raised  so  as  to  allow  the  mercury  to  rise,  but 
the  bulb  and  eggs  should  be  of  the  same  heat,  as  the  figures 
record  the  heat  in  the  bulb  and  not  in  the  tube.    Keep  a  pie 


183  INCUBATOHS. 

pan  filled  with  water  in  the  ventilator  for  moisture,  and  keep 
two  or  three  moist  sponges  in  the  egg  drawer,  displacing  a  few 
eggs  for  the  purpose.  Turn  the  eggs  half  way  round  twice  a 
day  at  regular  intervals — eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  six 
o'clock  at  night.  Let  the  eggs  cool  down  while  turning  them ; 
it  will  do  no  hurt ;  but  do  not  let  them  cool  lower  than  seventy 
degrees.  No  sprinkling  is  required  if  the  sponges  are  kept 
moist.  If  the  heat  gets  up  to  one  hundred  and  ten  degrees,  or 
as  low  as  sixty  degrees  for  a  little  while,  it  is  not  necessarily 
fatal.  Too  much  heat  is  more  prevalent  than  too  little.  A 
week's  practice  in  operating  the  incubator  will  surprise  one  how 
simple  the  work  is.  Heat  the  water  in  one  or  two  boilers,  as  a 
large  quantity  will  be  required  when  filling  the  first  time,  and 
pour  it  in  through  the  tube  on  top  of  the  incubator,  boiling  hot, 
using  a  funnel  in  the  tube  for  the  purpose.  Just  at  the  time  of 
hatching  out  do  not  be  tempted  to  frequently  open  the  drawer. 
Cold  drafts  are  fatal.  Patience  must  be  exercised.  When 
turning  eggs  in  the  morning  let  them  cool  well.  The  best 
results  have  been  obtained  when  the  heat  was  kept  at  one 
hundred  and  five  degrees  the  first  week,  one  hundred  and  four 
degrees  the  second  week,  and  one  hundred  and  two  degrees  the 
third  week. 

Prices  of  the-  Savidge  Incubator,  100  eggs,  $21.     No  charge 
for  boxing.    50  eggs,  $18.     Brooder,  $10. 


INCUBATORS.  188 

THE  "PERFECT"  HATCHER. 

MANUFACTURED  BY  THE  PERFECT  HATCHER  CO.,  ELMIRA,  N.  Y. 


This  is  a  self  regulating  incubator ;  the  water  tank  is  above 
the  eggs,  and  it  is  warmed  by  a  heater  exterior  to  the  machine, 
the  nursery  is  placed  underneath  the  egg  trays,  and  the  methed 
of  heating  is  by  gas  or  kerosene  oil. 

The  heat  is  regulated  by  means  of  a  thermostatic  bar,  which, 
by  moving  a  lever,  connects  an  electrical  battery  with  a  clock- 
work, which,  when  the  heat  reaches  the  highest  point,  opens  a 
ventilator  and  reduces  the  flame  of  the  lamp,  and  when  the 
lowest  permitted  temperature  is  reached,  closes  the  draft  and 
turns  up  the  flame. 

Thus  the  heat  constantly,  but  slowly  vacillates  between  the 
two  extremes  as  fixed. 

A  peculiarity  of  this  machine  is  the  double  layer  of  eggs. 
The  upper  tray  is  placed  below,  after  being  set  ten  days,  and 
then  the  upper  one  is  filled. 


184  INCUBATORS. 

The  battery  connected  with  this  machine  is  warranted  to 
work  a  year  without  renewal  ;  the  clock  needs  to  be  wound  but 
once  in  three  days. 

The  "Perfect"  Hatcher  is  very  highly  commended  by  those 
who  use  it  and  is  said  to  be  very  certain  and  satisfactory  in  its 
results. 

THE  "NEW  CENTENNIAL"  INCUBATOR. 

MANUFACTURED   BY  A.    M.    HALSTEAD,    RYE,  N.  Y. 

This  is  a  self  regulating  machine,  very  similar  in  its  working 
to  the  "Perfect  Hatcher."  Mr.  Halstead,  the  manufacturer  of 
it,  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  successful  incubator  men  in 
the  country.  It  is  well  made,  easily  managed  and  gives  uni- 
versal satisfaction. 

Of  course,  even  with  the  successful  machines  described  in  this 
book,  a  person  can  easily  fail  to  make  a  success.  Perhaps  it 
will  be  well  to  name  a  few  things  necessary  to  success :  A 
steady,  settled  purpose  to  make  the  thing  succeed.  Intelligent 
study  of  the  instructions  supplied  with  the  machine,  so  as  to 
enable  you  to  thoroughly  understand  it,  just  as  an  engineer 
understands  his  locomotive.  Careful  attention  to  cleanliness  in 
the  lamps,  wicks  trimmed  evenly,  etc.  Patience  for  results. 
This  will  enable  you  to  put  twenty  eggs  into  a  one  thousand 
egg  machine  for  a  start,  and  practically  learn  "how  to  do  it." 
In  a  word  use  common  sense,  as  much  of  it  as  you  can  com- 
mand, and  you  are  sure  to  come  out  successfully. 

HOW  TO  KILL  AND  DRESS  FOWLS. 

Never  kill  your  fowls  until  they  have  fasted  twenty-four 
hours.     No  man  ever  made  any  money  by  selling  his  fowls  with 


INCUBATORS.  185 

their  crops  stuffed  to  make  them  weigh.  The  petty  fraud  is  too 
apparent.  To  kill  and  dress,  tie  their  legs  together,  hang  the 
fowl  up,  open  the  beak  and  pass  a  sharp  pointed,  narrow  bladed 
knife  into  the  mouth  and  up  into  the  roof,  dividing  the  mem- 
brane. Death  will  be  instant.  Immediately  cut  the  throat  by 
dividing  the  arteries  of  the  neck  and  the  bird  will  bleed 
thoroughly. 

We  never  scald ;  the  nicest  way  is  to  pick  the  fowl  dry  and 
while  yet  warm.  A  little  care  will  prevent  tearing  the  flesh, 
and  the  bird  will  bring  enough  extra  in  the  market  to  make  it 
pay.  Most  persons,  however,  will  prefer  to  scald,  and  for  home 
consumption,  or  the  village  market  this  will  do. 

Have  the  water  just  scalding  hot — not  boiling— one  hundred 
and  ninety  degrees  is  just  right.  Immerse  the  fowl,  holding  it 
by  the  legs,  taking  it  out  and  in,  until  the  feathers  slip  easily. 
Persons  become  very  expert  at  this,  the  feathers  coming  away 
by  brushing  them  with  the  hand,  apparently.  At  all  events, 
they  must  be  picked  clean.  Hang  turkeys  and  chickens  by  the 
feet,  and  ducks  and  geese  by  the  head,  to  cool.  It  should  be 
unnecessary  to  say  that  under  no  circumstance  whatever,  should 
ducks  and  geese  be  scalded;  they  must  invariably  be  picked 
dry.  Take  off  the  heads  of  chickens  as  soon  as  picked,  tie  the 
skin  neatly  over  the  stump,  draw  out  the  insides  carefully,  and 
hang  up  to  cool.  Never  sell  fowls  undrawn.  They  will  bring 
enough  more  drawn  and  nicely  packed,  with  the  heart,  gizzard 
and  liver  placed  inside  each  fowl,  to  pay  for  the  trouble.  Let 
them  get  thoroughly  cool— as  cold  as  possible— but  never,  under 
any  circumstances,  frozen.  There  is  always  money  in  properly 
prepared  poultry ;  the  money  is  lost  in  half  fitting  them  for 
market,  the  fowls  often  being  forwarded  in  a  most  disgusting 
state.  There  is  money  in  the  production  of  eggs;  tbere  is 
money  in  raising  poultry  for  the  market.    The  money  is  lost  in 


186  INCUBATORS. 

a  foolish  attempt  occasionally  made  to  make  the  buyer  pay  for 
a  crop  full  of  musty  corn,  at  the  price  of  first-class  meat.  It  is 
that  class  of  men,  however,  who  are  too  smart  ever  to  make 
money  at  anything. 

PACKING  FOR  MARKET. 

The  poultry,  having  been  killed  as  directed,  carefully  picked, 
the  heads  cut  off,  and  the  skin  drawn  over  the  stump  and  neatly 
tied — or  if  preferred,  leave  the  head  on,  the  fowl  will  not  bring 
less  for  it — and  the  birds  chilled  down  to  as  near  the  freezing 
point  as  possible,  provide  clean  boxes  and  place  a  layer  of  clean 
hay  or  straw  quite  free  from  dust,  in  the  bottom.  Pick  up  a 
fowl,  bend  the  head  under  and  to  one  side  of  the  breast  bone, 
and  lay  it  flat  on  its  breast,  back  up,  the  legs  extending  straight 
out  behind.  The  first  fowl  to  be  laid  in  the  left  hand  corner. 
So  placed,  lay  a  row  across  the  box  to  the  right,  and  pack  close 
row  by  row,  until  only  one  row  is  left,  then  reverse  the  heads, 
laying  them  next  the  other  end  of  the  box,  the  feet  under  the 
previous  row  of  heads.  If  there  is  space  left  between  the  two 
last  rows,  put  in  what  birds  will  fit  sideways.  If  not,  pack  in 
straw  at  the  sides  and  between  the  birds,  so  they  cannot  move. 
Pack  straw  enough  over  one  layer  of  fowls,  so  that  the  others 
cannot  touch,  and  so  proceed  until  the  box  is  full.  Fill  the  box 
full.  There  must  never  be  any  shaking,  or  else  the  birds  will 
become  bruised,  and  loss  will  ensue.  Many  packers  of  extra 
poultry  place  paper  over  and  under  each  layer  before  filling  in 
the  straw.  There  is  no  doubt  but  that  it  pays.  Nail  the  box 
tight;  mark  the  initials  of  the  packer,  the  number  of  fowls 
and  variety,  and  mark  plainly  the  full  name  of  the  person  or 
firm  to  whom  it  is  consigned,  with  street  and  number  on  the 
box,  Thus  the  receiver  will  know  at  a  glance  what  the  box 
contains,  and  does  not  have  to  unpack  to  find  out.     These  direc- 


INCUBATORS.  187 

tions,  if  carefully  carried  out,  might  save  a  person  many  times 
the  cost  of  this  book,  every  year. 

KEEPING  EGGS  FRESH. 

The  place  selected  for  keeping  eggs  should  be  cool  in  sum- 
mer, but  not  cold  in  winter,  that  is,  it  should  be  kept  at  a 
temperature  of  from  forty-five  to  sixty  degrees  all  the  year 
round.  If  too  cold,  the  eggs  will  freeze  and  crack,  if  too  warm, 
they  will  commence  to  decay  and  get  stale  sooner  than  they 
otherwise  would.  Shelves  should  be  fitted  up  with  holes  bored 
in  them,  sufficiently  large  to  keep  the  eggs  upstanding,  but,  of 
course,  not  large  enough  to  allow  them  to  pass  through.  These 
shelves  will  be  very  inexpensive  and  will  serve  a  lifetime.  The 
eggs  should  be  placed  in  these  holes  broad- end  downwards,  and 
tests  have  proved  that  they  will  keep  fresh  in  this  position,  very 
mnch  longer  than  with  the  broad-end  upwards. 


INDEX. 


Age,  to  Breed,  - 

11    to  Fatten,  - 

11    to  Judge,        - 

"    to  Kill, 

"    to  Show,  -  -  -  - 

Air  Bubble  or  Cell,         - 
Alarm,  - 

Ale,  -  - 

Appetite,         - 

"        Loss  of 
April,  Work  for        - 
Artificial  Incubation,      - 

"  ••  Advice  to  Beginners, 

Artificial  Rearing, 
Asiatic  Breeds,  - 


Asphalt  Flooring, 

Atropine, 

August,  Work  for    - 

Awards, 

Bantams, 

"        Varieties 
Bad  Feathering, 
Barn  Door  Fowls, 
Bedding  for  Chicks, 
Benzine, 
Best  Breeds  for  Market, 

"  "    Confinement, 


P*g« 

Part 

2, 

42 

«< 

2, 

42 

(i 

2, 

42 

(< 

2, 

43 

«{ 

2, 

43 

<< 

2, 

44 

<( 

2, 

44 

<( 

2, 

44 

<< 

2, 

46 

<« 

2, 

109 

<( 

2, 

46 

<« 

2, 

47,  144 

<( 

2, 

145 

«< 

2, 

49 

(i 

2, 

50 

n 

2, 

51 

u 

2, 

61 

ii 

2, 

51 

ii 

? 

51 

ii 

2, 

52 

Parti, 

32 

ii 

1, 

32 

<< 

2, 

13 

ii 

2, 

54 

ii 

2, 

54 

ii 

2, 

65 

ii 

1, 

67 

ii 

2, 

71 

[90  INDEX. 

Black  Hamburgs, 
Bone  Dust,  - 

Brahma  Fowls,  - 

Breast-Bone,  Crooked    - 
Breeding  Cocks,        - 
Breeding  In-and-in 
Broods  for  Crossing, 
Broken  Leg,        - 

"    Bones,  - 

Bruises  and  Fractures, 
Buying  Poultry  and  Eggs, 

Carbolic  Acid, 

Capons  and  Caponizing, 

Caponizing, 

Change  of  Place, 

Chicks,  Ordinary  Fattening  of 

Chickens,  General  Treatment  of     - 

"         Precocious, 
Combs,  Torn  - 

"      Varieties  of      - 

"      Pea, 

"      Wire  Support  to 
Cochins,  - 

i  '      Varieties  of      - 
Cocks,  - 

Cockerels,  - 

Cockerels  and  Pullets,  Separation  of 
Cold  Weather,    -  - 

Concrete  Flooring,     - 
Condition  to  keep  Fowls  in, 
Cooking  for  Poultry, 
Corns, 

Cramming,     - 
Crevecoeurs,       - 


Daily  Routine, 

- 

Defects,  Choice  between 

Dirt  and  Droppings, 

- 

Dictionary  of  Poultry  Terms, 

Diseases  of  Poultry, 

- 

"                "    Apoplexy,    - 

"                "    Appetite,  Loss  of 

"                 "    Asthma, 

♦«                 "    Bumble  Foot, 

_. 

"                "    Black  Rot,    - 

"                "    Canker,  - 

- 

"               «    Catarrh,       - 

Part  2, 

56 

n 

2, 

55 

a 

1, 

3 

<( 

2, 

56 

a 

2, 

56 

<< 

2,    56, 

104 

tt 

2, 

57 

a 

2, 

22 

a 

2, 

58 

a 

2, 

21 

a 

2, 

59 

Part  2, 

61 

<< 

2, 

61 

<( 

2, 

141 

a 

2, 

63 

tt 

2, 

94 

tt 

2, 

64 

tt 

2, 

119 

<( 

2, 

25 

<< 

2, 

69 

<( 

2, 

117 

<< 

2, 

140 

tt 

1, 

8 

tt 

1, 

9 

it 

2, 

67 

a 

2, 

67 

tt 

2, 

129 

tt 

2, 

68 

n 

2, 

70 

tt 

2, 

71 

n 

2, 

72 

*t 

2, 

23 

tt 

2, 

73 

tt 

1, 

44 

Part  2, 

32 

a 

2, 

66 

a 

2, 

78 

t* 

1, 

62 

tt 

% 

4 

tt 

2, 

13 

a 

2, 

109 

n 

2, 

12 

tt 

2, 

24 

a 

2, 

55 

a 

i 

60 

14 

63 

TKDVX*  1*1 

Diseases  of  Poultry,  Cholera,          -           -  Part  2,  7,  66 

«                «    Colds,           -           -  "    2,  68 

"    Cramp,    -  "2,  20,  74 

"    Cramped  Sitting  Hen,  -        "    2,  74 

"     Crooked  Breasts,            -  "2,  75 

"    Crop-bound,             -  "    2,  15,  75 

««     Dropsy,                ^            -  "2,  17 

"    Diarrhoea,     -           -  -        "    2,  8,  78 

"    Eruptions,           -           -  "2,  89 

•1    Elephantiasis,           -  "    2,  28 

"    Gapes,      ---  "    2,  10,  99 

"    Giddiness,     -           -  "    2,  100 

»    Gout,        -  "2,  11 

"    Hereditary,              -  "     2,  103 

«!    Hoarseness,         -           -  "2,  103 

•f    Indigestion,              -  -        "    2,  9,   104 

"    Inflammation  of  the  Lungs,       "    2,  104 
«                "             "              "       Mucous 

Membrane,       "2,  10 

«    Influenza,     -           -  "    2,  18 

"    Liver,      ...  "2,  108 

"    Leg- Weakness,        -  -        "    2,  10,  107 

"    Loss  of  Feathers,          -  "    2,-  96 

"    Megrims,      -           -  "    2,  12 

M    Mange,     -  "    2,  16 

"    Moulting,      -           -  "    2,  14 

«    Paralysis,            -            -  "2,  19,  116 

"    Pip,  -           -           -  "    2,  18,  .118 

«    Phthisis,              -           -  "    2,  20 

««    Rheumatism,            -  -  ..'.."    2,  20,  123 

■■    Roup,       -           -           -  "    2,  6,   125 

«    Rump-Gland,           -  "    2,  22 

"    Torpid  Gizzard,              -  ••    2,  17 

"    Ulcers,         -           -  ".    2,  23 

"    Vertigo,  ---  "    2,  138 

"                 "    White  Comb,           -  "    2,  24 

*                "    Wheezing,          -           -  "2,  140 

Dominiques,       -           -           -            -  '    1>  31 

Dorkings,       -----  1,  16 

Drowning,           -----  2, 

Drainage,       ...           -  2,  79 

Drink,      - "    2,  79 

Ducks, "    1,  56 

11       Aylesbury           -           -           -  "    2,  53 

11      Breeding  Pens  for     -           -           -  "2,  57 

"       Buenos  Ayres     -           -           -  -        "    2,  59 

"       Carolina         ....  "    2,  62 

«       Pekin "2,  117 

*      Rouen "    2,  124 


N 

n 
ii 

li 

II 
II 
II 
II 

II 
II 
II 
II 
II 
II 
II 
(I 


198 


INDUS. 


Dubbing, 


Earth  Deodoriser,     - 

Ear-Lobes, 

• 

Early  Roosting, 

Economy, 

• 

^S' Addled"     - 

m 

ff 

Blood-stained  - 

fit 

Broken  in  nest 

- 

ff 

Bound  - 

a 

Chilled 

. 

u 

Dropping 

Ducks,  Color  of    - 

H 

- 

it 

Eaters  - 

it 

Fertility  of 

- 

if 

How  to  collect 

If 

How  to  Preserve  - 

• 

ff 

How  to  Pack 

ff 

Hens,  Color  of     - 

• 

ff 

Keeping  fresh 

ff 

Nest 

- 

ff 

Moistening 

ff 

Packing  for  Hatching 

- 

<f 

Preserving  for  Sitting 

ff 

Preserving  for  Winter 

use 

ff 

Producers 

- 

ff 

Production  increasing 

- 

fi 

Selecting  for  Sitting 

ff 

Soft 

• 

ff 

Sex  of 

ff 

Testing 

- 

ff 

Test  of  fresh 

- 

ff 

Unfertile    - 

- 

«f 

Yolkless 

Epsom  Salts, 

- 

Exhibition  Birds,  Care  of 

- 

"             "       Selection 

of 

"             "       Washing 

Exhibition,  Treatment  afte 

r    - 

Fattening,      - 

"         AlaBresse 
Fancy  Points, 
Farm  Poultry, 
Farmyard  Duck, 


Part), 


Part  2, 

a 

"    2, 

81 

"    % 

82 

"    2, 

82 

"    2 

83 

"    2, 

41,  83 

"    2, 

83 

"    2, 

83 

"    2, 

15,  84 

"    2, 

65,  84 

"    2, 

81 

"    2, 

84 

"    2, 

88 

"    2, 

84 

"    2, 

35 

"  i 

37 

"    2, 

40 

"    2, 

84 

"    2 

187 

"    2, 

112 

"    2, 

86 

"    2, 

115 

"    2, 

86 

u    2, 

86 

"    1, 

67 

"    2, 

85 

"    2, 

87 

«    2, 

87 

"    2, 

129 

"    2, 

136 

"    2, 

88 

"    2, 

83,  137 

"    2, 

88 

"    2, 

89 

"    2, 

61 

"    2, 

128 

"    2, 

138 

"    2, 

136 

"    1, 

97 

"    2, 

94 

«    2, 

90 

44    2, 

91 

"    2, 

93 

INDEX. 


198 


Feathers,  -        \  • 

"        Hard         - 
"       Loss  of 
"        Laced        - 
"        Eating 
"        Paint  and  Tar  on 
"        Worm  eaten 
Feathering  of  the  Legs  and  Feet    - 
Felt,         - 

Fencing  wire,  - 

Feeding,  Excessive 
First  outlay,  - 

Fleas,       - 
Flesh, 

Floors,     .... 
Food,  - 

"    Allowance  of        -  - 

Animal  -  - 

After  Exhibition 

"    Kinds  to  procure 
Barley       - 
Bran     - 
Buckwheat 
Buttermilk       - 
Brewers  grain 

Cabbage  -  -  - 

M    Corn 
"    During  Moult 
"    Green         - 
"    Hemp  - 

"    Indian  corn 
"    Insects  - 

"    Oats  - 

"    Oatmeal  - 

"    Onions       - 
"    Parsnips  *  •■ 

"    Quality  of 
"    Rice      - 
"    Sour  milk 
Foods,  List  of 
Fountains,  - 

Fowls,  Common 

"      Bad  habits  of     - 
"      General  treatment  of 
"      Fattening 
"      Handling  of 
"      How  to  kill  and  dress    - 
French  Breeds, 
Fresh  Blood,      - 


art  2, 

95 

"  2, 

103 

"  i 

96 

"  2, 

106 

"  2, 

95 

"  2, 

25 

"  2, 

140 

"  2, 

96 

"  2, 

96 

"  2, 

97 

«  2, 

89 

"  1, 

70 

"  i 

97 

"  2, 

97 

"  2, 

98 

"  t, 

76 

"  2, 

44 

"  2, 

45 

"  2, 

98 

"  i 

46 

"    2, 

53 

"  2, 

56 

<f  2, 

59 

"  2, 

59 

"  2, 

105 

"  2, 

60 

"  2, 

73 

"  2, 

98 

"  2, 

101 

"  2, 

103 

"  2, 

104 

"  2, 

105 

"  2, 

114 

"  2, 

113 

M  2, 

114 

"  2, 

117 

"  2, 

123 

"  2, 

123 

"  2, 

128 

"  2, 

108 

"  2, 

98 

"  2, 

70 

"  2, 

27 

"  2, 

29 

"  2, 

93 

"  2, 

102 

M  2, 

184 

"  1, 

44 

81  «. 

98 

194 


mm*. 


bright, 
Frost-bite, 


Part  2, 


Game  Fowls, 
Geese, 

"     Fattening 
Grass, 

"     Bun     - 
Gravel, 

Ground,  Cleanliness  of 
Guinea  Fowl, 


Hamburg  Fowls, 

Hardiness, 

Harm  to  Crops, 

Hatching,  Early 

Hay,         -  .  .  - 

Heat,  - 

Hens,  Age  to  lay 
"     Broody 

"      Setting,  Their  management 
"     To  prevent  setting     - 

Hospital,  - 

Houses  and  Yards, 

"      Early  opening  of 

Houdans,       ... 


Incubation,         - 

a 

Artificial 

Incubators, 

<( 

Average  time  to  hatch 

<< 

Best  place  to  run    - 

« 

Care  of  chickens 

a 

Eureka 

« 

"     Brooder 

« 

Feeding 

tt 

Keystone 

a 

New  Centennial 

tt 

Proper  temperature  of 

a 

Perfect  Hatcher 

tt 

Savidge 

tt 

Testing  the  Eggs    - 

tt 

The  best  we  know  of 

tt 

Watering     - 

n 

1, 

26 

U 

1, 

54 

it 

5, 

95 

<< 

2, 

100 

<< 

2, 

100 

<< 

2, 

100- 

tt 

2, 

101 

«< 

1, 

52 

tt 

2, 

101 

it 

1, 

33 

a 

2, 

102 

i« 

2, 

102 

tt 

2, 

85 

a 

2, 

102 

<( 

2, 

103 

(i 

2, 

41 

it 

2, 

58 

a 

2, 

130 

<« 

2, 

119 

it 

2, 

104 

a 

1, 

73 

a 

2, 

81 

a 

1, 

46 

n 

1, 

88 

a 

2,   47, 

144 

tt 

2, 

144 

<« 

2, 

151 

n 

2 

147 

a 

2, 

154 

(< 

2, 

171 

a 

2, 

175 

it 

2, 

156 

«« 

2, 

178 

«< 

2, 

184 

M 

2, 

161 

a 

2, 

183 

«( 

2, 

180 

a 

2, 

163 

n 

2, 

171 

n 

2, 

156 

Journeys 


"    2, 


106 


INDEX. 


195 


Rilling  for  Table, 

Lameness,       ... 

Langs  bans, 

La  Fleche  Fowls, 

Laying,  To  prevent 

Laying  Mixtures, 

Leghorn  Fowls, 

Lime,  - 

Limit  to  Numbers, 

Lobes,  ... 

Malay  Fowls, 
Management  of  Chicks, 
Manure, 

March,   Work  for 
Marking  Chickens, 
Mating,  ... 

May,  Work  for 
Meals,  - 

Meat  Producers, 
Milk  for  Chickens, 
Moult,  To  hasten 
Moulting,        - 

Nests  for  Laying, 
Night  Accommodation  for  Chicks, 
Number  of  Ducks  to  Drake,     - 
Number  of  Hens  to  Cock, 

Old  Chicks, 
Old  Fowls  for  Table, 
Orchards,  - 

Over  Fattening, 

Packing  Fowls  for  Market, 

Parasites,       - 

Pen  for  Breeding  Stock, 

Perch,  ... 

Points  of  Poultry, 

Poul  try  Keeping, 

"  "        Failures  in     - 

Plucking,        - 
Plumage,  - 

Poland  Fowls, 
Plymouth  Rocks, 
Prize  Poultry, 

v'  "        Their  Treatment, 

Produce  Hatched,  Good  average 


Part  2, 


105 


. 

ti 

2, 

106 

• 

. 

it 

1, 

37 

. 

a 

1, 

45 

. 

. 

tt 

2, 

107 

a 

(< 

2, 

106 

. 

. 

a 

£ 

41 

- 

ti 

2, 

107 

• 

. 

ti 

2, 

107 

" 

<( 

2, 

108 

m 

. 

Part  1, 

25 

m 

<< 

1, 

91 

. 

. 

<« 

2, 

109 

. 

tt 

2, 

109 

. 

tt 

2, 

110 

. 

a 

2, 

110 

. 

• 

ti 

2, 

110 

• 

tt 

2, 

111 

• 

. 

tt 

2, 

111 

.- 

tt 

2, 

111 

. 

. 

tt 

2, 

111 

" 

a 

*■"* 

14 

„ 

— 

Part  2, 

112 

a 

2, 

113 

. 

• 

n 

2, 

113 

a 

2, 

113 

• 

— 

Part  2, 

114 

a 

2, 

114 

• 

• 

a 

2, 

115 

a 

2, 

115 

• 

— 

Part  2, 

186 

n 

2, 

116 

'   .   ' 

• 

a 

2, 

118 

tt 

2, 

118 

• 

• 

a 

1, 

61 

tt 

1 

65 

• 

• 

a 

2, 

90 

a 

2, 

119 

• 

. 

a 

2, 

119 

.  ' 

a 

1, 

20 

• 

. 

a 

1, 

34 

tt 

2, 

121 

• 

• 

<t 

I 

120 
121 

196  iKDKi. 

Pullets, 

"      Not  Laying 
Purity,  To  be  preserved 

Repletion,    - 

Roofs,  . 

Roosting,       - 
Runs,       - 
"    Aspect  of 

Sand,        .... 

Sawdust,        - 

Sex  of  Chicks,  Fortelling 

Sheds,  -  -  .  . 

Shelf  under  perch, 

Shelter  Hurdles, 

Slipped  Wing,     - 

Small  Yards,  Sorts  for 

Snow,       -  -  -  - 

Soft  Eggs,      - 

Spanish  Fowls, 

Spring  Chickens, 

Squirrel  Tail,      - 

Stains  on  Feathers, 

Strain,  To  Commence    - 

Straw, 

Sulky  Cocks,      - 

Sultans,  - 

Sunflower,  - 

Tonics,  - 

Traveling,  - 

Trussing,       .  -  -  - 

Turkeys,  - 

"        Fattening 

Varieties,  .  •  • 

Ventilation,  - 

Vermin,  •  • 

Want  of  Condition,  -  « 

Warmth,  ... 

Wasters,         - 

Weakness  after  Sitting,  • 

Wyandottes,  •  •  « 


Part  2, 

m 

«< 

2, 

122 

<< 

2, 

122 

Part  2, 

123 

<( 

2, 

124 

it 

2, 

124 

tt 

2, 

126 

it 

2, 

51 

Part  2, 

127 

«i 

2, 

128 

tt 

2, 

85 

tt 

2, 

129 

tt 

2, 

129 

n 

2, 

130 

tt 

2, 

133 

tt 

1, 

68 

tt 

2, 

133 

tt 

2, 

16 

tt 

1, 

10 

tt 

2, 

134 

tt 

2, 

134 

n 

2, 

134 

€t 

2, 

134 

tt 

2, 

135 

tt 

V 

135 

tt 

1, 

23 

tt 

2 

135 

Part  2, 

135 

a 

2, 

136 

tt 

2, 

136 

tt 

1, 

47 

tt 

1, 

50 

Part  1. 

3 

a 

2, 

137 

tt 

2, 

25 

Part  2, 

138 

tt 

2, 

188 

tt 

2, 

140 

a 

2, 

140 

M 

< 

39 

CONFESSIONS 


—OF— 


JEAN  JAWS  ROUSSEAU 

A  New   Edition  of   this  Famous  Book — Trans- 
lated from  the  French — with  \  3  Illus- 
trations by  Ed*  Hedouin. 
625  Pages,   Long   Primer   Type. 
Large    J2mo,   Red  Cloth,  Paper  Label,  $3.50 


SENT  PREPAID  ON  RECEIPT  OF  PRICE. 

WILLIAM  L.  ALLISON, 

216  WILLIAM  ST.,  N.  Y.  CITY 


An  International  Jury  of  twenty-five  mem- 
bers, at  the  PARIS  EXPOSITION,  awarded  a 
Diploma  of  Honor, 

THE  GRAND  PRIX 

to  the 

SMITH    PREMIER    TYPEWRITER. 

NO  HIGHER  AWARD  WAS  POSSIBLE, 

and  in  the  language  of  the  JURY'S  REPORT, 
it  was  given  "FOR  GENERAL  SUPERIORITY 
OF  CONSTRUCTION  AND  EFFICIENCY/' 

THE  SMITH  PREMIER  TYPEWRITER  CO., 
337  BROADWAY,  NEW  YORK. 


